Liverpool transfer news: Reds 'compile dossier' on 'powerful' 18-year-old amid Darwin Nunez uncertainty

Uruguay international Nunez has never truly found his feet at Liverpool, who committed to potentially making him their most expensive signing of all time when they struck an £85m agreement with Benfica in 2022.

Just two-and-a-half years later, Nunez is out of favour under Arne Slot, who has often preferred natural left-winger Luis Diaz up front, and the former has been heavily linked with a move to AC Milan.

Such reports are thought to be wide of the mark, but Nunez does not appear to have an immediate future with Slot at the helm, and the Anfield succession plan is apparently already taking shape.

According to The Sun, Liverpool are 'compiling a dossier' on Sheffield United starlet One, who is now a fully-fledged member of the Blades' first team at just 18 years old.

Who is Liverpool-linked striker Ryan One?

The Scottish protege made his first-team debut for Sheffield United in their 5-0 Premier League loss to Arsenal in October 2023, and he has since represented the club on 11 occasions in total.

One scored his first goal for the Championship outfit against Bristol City on November 5 and has also earned 15 caps for the Scotland Under-19 side, registering two goals and two assists in the process.

A 'powerful' centre-forward at 6ft 2in tall, One - formerly of the Hamilton Academical academy before joining the Blades in 2023 - has also been deployed as a right-winger, left-winger and number 10 in the embryonic stages of his career.

Liverpool apparently view One as the physical marksman that their attack is currently lacking, but Sheffield United will demand a premium fee for the teenager, who extended his contract until 2029 over the summer.

Furthermore, it is unclear whether the Scotland youth international would go straight into the first team at Liverpool or continue his development in the youth setup before making the step-up.

Is Nunez out of chances at Liverpool?

Having now had two-and-a-half seasons of Premier League football, Nunez cannot claim that he is still adapting to the demands of playing for Liverpool, especially after last season's eye-catching numbers.

The Uruguayan had a direct hand in 31 goals in 54 matches in the 2023-24 campaign - 18 of his own and 13 assists - but the perception that he is a wasteful striker guilty of missing gilt-edged chances never went away.

A serious regression in 2024-25 has seen Nunez only find the back of the net five times in all competitions, and just twice in 14 Premier League games, and he has been culpable of some of those aforementioned high-profile attacking blunders.

Many Reds fans are already at the end of their tether with the 25-year-old, who on his day is a highly effective chaos merchant, but for an initial £64m fee, you at least expect your big-money striker to finish more chances than he is.

A springtime revival appears unlikely while Diaz and Cody Gakpo are excelling up top, and it would not be a shock to see Liverpool entertain bids for Nunez when the summer window opens.

Written by

Ben Knapton