Liverpool are keeping a close eye on Villarreal’s new rising star Arnaut Danjuma, identified as a potential successor of Sadio Mane.
According to a recent report from Voetbal International, Liverpool have expressed interest in Arnaut Danjuma. The forward has had a splendid start to his life at Villarreal this season, putting the Premier League giants on red alert.
Liverpool were actually one of the clubs to be linked with a summer swoop for Danjuma. The former Club Brugge winger was coming on the back of a successful 2020/21 campaign that saw him score 15 goals for Bournemouth in the Championship. However, he ended up joining reigning Europa League champions Villarreal, for a fee of €23 million.
And barely just two months into the new season with his new season, Danjuma has already hit the ground running in La Liga, netting two goals in five matches while starring in the high-scoring draw with Atalanta in the UEFA Champions League.
The Dutchman’s performances have not gone unnoticed either, with Liverpool now keeping close tabs on his progression at Villarreal. The report even suggests that the Merseysiders have identified him as a potential long-term successor for Sadio Mane, whose role in the first-team has dissipated to an extent following the arrival of Diogo Jota and a relatively poor 2020/21 campaign.
It appears Danjuma’s dynamism and versatility in the final third coupled with his brief experience in English football has made him an appealing target for the Reds. It certainly won’t be surprising to see the English giants come back into the market for him after the end of the season. The report states that Liverpool are scouting him and will watch him in action against tivals Manchester United on Wednesday.
The 24-year-old Villarreal winger isn’t Liverpool’s only option, though. In fact, the 2019 European champions have been linked with various top attackers across Europe lately, including the Premier League’s very own Allan Saint-Maximin.
Liverpool’s pursuit of a new attacker suggests the fact that they are ready to move on from Roberto Firmino and most importantly, add more competition for the likes of Mohamed Salah, Jota and Mane.
Danjuma, to that end, could be an excellent cost-effective option in Jurgen Klopp’s bid to bolster his offensive arsenal next season. However, the Dutchman’s valuation could depend on the amount of success in La Liga, so it will be interesting to see whether the winger can keep up with his excellent run of form throughout the remainder of the campaign.
