Klopp convinced to take Mane gamble by 'impressive' Liverpool signing

Darwin Nunez arrives at Liverpool with big boots to fill - but Jurgen Klopp is adamant the club has no doubts about their potential club-record signing.

The Uruguay international was one of the most coveted forwards in European football this summer following a breakout campaign with Benfica. Nunez netted 34 times in all competitions last season, including twice against the Reds in their Champions League quarter-final clash.

For some, Liverpool's decision to go big on Nunez represents something of a gamble, given the staggering improvement the forward made last season on previously unremarkable campaigns. The former Almeria star scored 14 goals in his debut season in Portugal, having been plucked from Spain's second-tier.

The FA Cup and Carabao Cup winners also likely spent more than they would have hoped, with Benfica able to drive up the price tag due to a host of interested clubs including Manchester United. If conditions for certain add-ons are made, Liverpool have committed to spending more on Nunez than they would have paid for other leading buys such as Alisson and Virgil van Dijk.

Signings from abroad are traditionally afford time to bed-in, given the unique demands of the Premier League. But this window for Nunez will be shorter than usual, due to both his price tag and the departure of Sadio Mane.

Jamie Carragher described the Senegal superstar as his 'favourite player' at Liverpool, given his consistency to perform in any attacking role. While the Reds' marched towards an unprecedented quadruple and Mohamed Salah struggled in the second-half of the campaign, Mane shone in an unfamiliar central role.

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The former Southampton star desired a new challenge however, and a move to Bayern Munich was on the cards for weeks before it was finally confirmed last month. By this point, Liverpool had already made a swift and decisive move to land his replacement.

In many ways, it is an uncharacteristic Reds' move given the seemingly inflated price tag. The Nunez deal could exceed the fees paid for both Diogo Jota and Luiz Diaz combined, as well as the collective money spent on Mane and Salah in successive summers.

However, Liverpool have hardly missed when it comes to transfer business in recent years, with former sporting director Michael Edwards often hailed as a genius. Speaking ahead of the new season, Klopp is adamant he has no doubts about Nunez's capacity to succeed at Anfield, and stressed this conviction came from their European encounter earlier this year.

The Liverpool boss told the club website:""It was massively impressive when he played in front of us. When you prepare Benfica, you know up to the size of shoes - we know absolutely everything about an opponent, so we know exactly about the quality of Darwin.

"It was not clear if he would play because he came back from internationals, in the first game that was. It was clear that he was really good. But when you see it then live, it was really impressive.

"The power and the mix-up with technique, the desire, smart moves, the problems he caused us. We fell all in love in these two games.

"A very aggressive South American, it's a good thing! It was really a joy to watch him and so when we realised we had a good chance to sign him, we were all-in and we're really happy he's here now."

Mane left Merseyside with an impressive record of 120 goals and 48 assists from 259 appearances for the club. The 30-year-old tasted success in every competition at one stage, and forged a feared partnership alongside Roberto Firmino and Salah.

It leaves a major void for any forward to fill at Liverpool, let alone a 22-year-old yet to test himself in the Premier League. This pressure is only exacerbated by Manchester City's acquisition of goal machine Erling Haaland as the Premier League champions bid for a fifth title in six seasons.

Klopp has already outlined his excitement at the 'transformation' facing his Reds squad, with Nunez joining Diaz and Jota as the potential new frontline in seasons to come. Harvey Elliott, Curtis Jones, and Calvin Ramsay could all have big futures, with reports suggesting a move for Jude Bellingham is on the cards next summer as the next phase of the team's redevelopment.

Nunez is a move like no other in Liverpool's recent history, and the forward could have to hit the ground running to prove any doubters wrong. But with the Reds' track record on transfers and Klopp's 'all-in' admission, the deal could be less of a gamble than many could be fearing.