Liverpool want to sign Wolves midfielder Matheus Nunes; the 24-year-old midfielder only joined the Molineux club from Sporting Lisbon last summer; Sky Sports News has learned Liverpool's move for Nunes is more likely to take place in the summer
Tuesday 3 January 2023 10:11, UK
Liverpool maintain an interest in Wolves midfielder Matheus Nunes - but Sky Sports News has been told they are more likely to pursue a deal in the summer rather than January.
The Reds want to strengthen in midfield but will make sure they sign the right player, even if it means waiting until the end of the season.
Nunes is one of a number of midfielders Liverpool are monitoring and there was an interest in the player before he joined Wolves from Sporting Lisbon last summer, while Manchester City have also been tracking him.
There have been reports that Liverpool will attempt to sign him for £44m but Sky Sports News has been told this fee is unrealistic, with Wolves valuing him at more than £50m.
There has certainly been no approach from Liverpool to Wolves yet this month over signing Nunes.
Meanwhile, Wolves new signing Matheus Cunha is in contention to make his debut against Aston Villa on Wednesday night. He has been in full training with the team.
Jamie Carragher believes Liverpool have "no chance" of finishing in the top four without a new midfielder after the defence that has been "a shambles all season" was cut through repeatedly in their 3-1 defeat to Brentford on Monday.
Jurgen Klopp's side were overpowered by Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium, missing the chance to move up the table and leaving them sixth in the Premier League. Their former defender feels a big improvement is needed to make the top four.
"That has been a theme of Liverpool all season," Carragher told Sky Sports. "As soon as the intensity of a game rises they cannot cope. They need to play a slower type of game because as soon as it goes fast they are not at the races, they cannot keep up with it.
"Liverpool have had a problem all season against teams that are physical. This is a team, let us not forget, that prides itself on saying that intensity is our identity. They cannot cope with it anymore at this time. It looks like an ageing team coming to the end."
Although Liverpool's success has been built on their impressive recruitment, Carragher is frustrated that the problems in midfield have not been addressed - and fears that they are turning into a team that he does not recognise as a result.
"I don't know what has happened to Liverpool in terms of midfield. Liverpool have bought one midfield player in four-and-a-half years in Thiago. It is coming back to haunt them now.
"Thiago is not a problem if the other two are full of energy and stopping counter-attacks. People talk about Jude Bellingham but Liverpool don't have a problem going forward, they need a player to stop the opposition coming right through them.
"Harvey Elliott and Fabio Carvalho are great technical players but they don't look like Jurgen Klopp players. Fabinho is getting older. Jordan Henderson has not got the energy of old, James Milner.
"The transfer committee and Jurgen Klopp have been lauded more than any scouting or recruitment department in world football. This is on them.
"To allow a team that was competing for four trophies last season to be fighting for top four because the midfield has only had one signing in four years, they are absolutely running on fumes. How has it been allowed to happen?
"They have signed Cody Gakpo. If Liverpool think they can make top four without signing a midfield player in this window they have got no chance.
"When I watch Liverpool now, and certainly in midfield, it feels like Jurgen Klopp's team is morphing into something else.
"The only team it reminds me of is when I played against Arsenal under Arsene Wenger. Yes, they were a great football team. But their actual pace and physicality, teams could not cope with it. Then that team morphed into something really technical and they never won again.
"I don't know if there is an influence from Pep Lijnders, who is Klopp's number two and has a huge say in what goes on as well, maybe a Dutch way of thinking, getting players on the ball, thinking Liverpool need to keep tweaking things because people are used to them.
"For me, from minute one of Klopp's era against Tottenham, teams were sprinting all over the pitch. When I don't see Liverpool sprinting and closing down now and they are still playing with this high line it is like it is not a Liverpool team.
"It is not a Jurgen Klopp team now and I want to know why."
