Liverpool's signing of Cody Gakpo puts pressure on Darwin Nunez

How do you solve a problem like Darwin Nunez? Liverpool's answer to that dilemma has been made clear with the £37m signing of Cody Gakpo from PSV Eindhoven, a deal so discreet and effective that the Dutch striker could join Anfield as soon as the winter transfer window officially opens on Sunday. It is undoubtedly a surprise signing given Liverpool's clear need for midfield reinforcements and the reality that, when all options are available, manager Jurgen Klopp already has a strong hand in terms of strikers.

Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino are all out with injuries of varying severity at present, but when fully recovered, adding them to a group that also includes Mohamed Salah, Fabio Carvalho and Nunez will guarantee a regular selection headache for Klopp, even before Gakpo enters the equation. 

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Gakpo will be Liverpool's third major attacking signing in 12 months, following the arrival of Diaz from Porto last January and the landing of Nunez, who completed a club-record move worth up to £85m in June. Sadio Mané left for Bayern Munich in this time, and the Senegal international has been a big loss for Liverpool, but that departure has been offset by Salah, who committed to a new three-year contract in July. 

So why does Liverpool need Gakpo, the young Dutch striker who became one of the stars of the World Cup by scoring three goals for the Netherlands en route to the quarter-finals? The answer, or at least much of it, has to do with Nunez and his inconsistent start to life at Liverpool. 

Nunez will have to improve

Nunez could see Gakpo's arrival in two ways. Gakpo, 23, will either be someone to help ease the goalscoring burden in Klopp's side, or a threat to Nunez's place in the team after a difficult first six months at the club in which he has promised more than he has delivered. Time will tell, but Gakpo will hope his first days at Anfield are more convincing than those of Nunez, who now finds himself on the precipice of being embroiled in a battle for confidence as well as the pursuit of goals.