"I can't see him in a Liverpool shirt next season" - Michael Owen names one player Reds will offload in summer amid Anfield struggles

Former England forward Michael Owen thinks Liverpool will offload Darwin Nunez in the summer transfer window due to his underwhelming performances. During an interview with TalkSport, the 2001 Ballon d'Or winner commented that Nunez should not continue with the Reds next season.

Owen also talked about different Premier League and foreign clubs showing interest in signing the Uruguayan attacker. He said (via CaughtOffside):

"I can't see Darwin Nunez in a Liverpool shirt next summer, personally. I think there's interest in him as well from one or two other Premier League teams, of course, there's foreign interest as well, so I can't see Darwin being a Liverpool player next summer."

Darwin Nunez joined the Merseyside outfit from Portuguese giants Benfica in June 2022 for a club-record-reported transfer fee of £85 million. The 25-year-old was expected to aid Liverpool's frontline concerns but failed to meet the expectations.

Since arriving in England, the Uruguayan attacker has made 136 appearances across competitions, scoring 40 goals and providing 24 assists. In his third season at Anfield, Darwin Nunez has only scored seven goals in 40 appearances.

Additionally, he also missed a crucial penalty during the Reds' shootout defeat to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 on Tuesday, March 11.

---

Liverpool keen to sign Serie A defender amid Virgil van Dijk's uncertain future: Reports

Germany v Italy - UEFA Nations League Quarterfinal Leg Two - Source: Getty

According to Football Insider, Liverpool will reportedly sign Inter Milan's Alessandro Bastoni in the summer. The Reds are keen to complete the transfer, irrespective of whether Virgil van Dijk stays or leaves the Anfield outfit.

The Premier League giants were initially looking to sign the 25-year-old as Van Dijk's long-term successor. Virgil van Dijk's contract, alongside Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold, will expire at the end of the 2024/25 campaign.

If the Dutchman decides to sign a contract extension, Bastoni will play alongside him. However, Inter Milan are reluctant to sell the 25-year-old as he's a part of their plans and the Reds would have to make a big money offer for the Italian defender.

His contract with Inter will expire in the summer of 2028 and according to the aforementioned report, the Serie A giants will only consider offers of £60 million or more. Liverpool are also monitoring Bournemouth's Dean Huijsen's situation as an alternative.