The Premier League will be graced with two new world-class strikers next season as now Liverpool and Manchester City have both confirmed big signings.
Erling Haaland 's £51million move to City from Borussia Dortmund was already confirmed, but now Liverpool have secured a striker of their own, as 22-year-old Darwin Nunez will join for a club record £85m. Liverpool and City have been in a league of their own for many seasons, but now the two Premier League rivals have strengthened further.
Haaland arrives as one of Europe's most in-demand figures, as the 21-year-old is seen as the next big talent after shining in the Bundesliga. But Nunez is also gaining momentum, and enjoyed a breakthrough year with Benfica last season.
City's new no.9 is a goal machine, and the Norwegian has averaged more goal contributions than games over the course of his professional career. Haaland left Norway in 2019 to join Austrian giants Red Bull Salzburg, and it was during his Champions League bow that the forward really started to excite fans.
Haaland scored at Anfield during the Champions League group stages, and scored 29 goals in 27 appearances before being approached by Dortmund. The German side snapped him up in January 2020, and he's been relentless ever since, scoring 86 goals in 89 games for the club.
That's in addition to the 23 assists he has provided, and Haaland posts similar numbers for his national team. Haaland scored twice in a 3-2 win over Scandinavian rivals Sweden on Sunday, and his arrival could take City to the next level, which is a terrifying thought.
But Liverpool have decided to match City with a move of their own, and after months of interest from the likes of Manchester United, the Reds have won the race for Nunez. Benfica announced the deal on Monday morning, and the Uruguayan is undergoing a medical ahead of his move to Anfield.
Nunez will be the first Uruguayan to represent Liverpool since Luis Suarez, and the Reds will be hoping that he can achieve similar goal scoring success. After arriving from Almeria in September 2020, Nunez has caught the eye, but it was the recent season that propelled him into the elite catagory.
In a breakthrough season at Benfica, Nunez scored 34 goals and provided four assists across 41 appearances. Nunez even scored against Liverpool in the Champions League quarter-final, and Jurgen Klopp clearly liked what he saw.
Although it's an exciting time for the new signings, they'll also be relishing the prospect of leading the line for two of the biggest clubs in the world. Both have seen limited success come from their recent sides, but they can expect a lot of silverware in England.
Despite Haaland's dominance and Dortmund's class, he only won one trophy in Germany, settling for a single DFB Pokal award during his 30-month stay. But things were even more disappointing for Nunez, as he finished runners-up in the Portuguese league cup last season, and didn't win any trophies at Benfica.
Both Liverpool and City are goal machines, and their new signings are expected to add even more goals to their ever-expanding tally. And it could be yet another gripping Premier League title race, with Liverpool and City set to operate with a natural no.9 for the first time in years.
