Robbie Fowler admits Liverpool's move for Darwin Nunez represents a transfer gamble this coming season.
But the legendary former Reds striker says he has seen enough in the former Benfica star for him to ease the pain of losing Sadio Mane to Bayern Munich.
Liverpool struck a deal with Benfica earlier this month that was worth an initial £64million, but it's a transfer that could make Uruguay international Nunez the most expensive player of all time at the club if his £21m worth of add-ons are reached.
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The Reds could yet pay a possible £12.8m in appearance-related add-ons and a further £8.5m depending on the team's success while Nunez is at the club, which would eventually see him declared as an £85m signing.
That fee would eclipse the £75m paid for Virgil van Dijk in January 2018 and while Fowler concedes that such an outlay on a player who has only just turned 23 is a risky one, he feels the striker will be a success at Anfield.
“From a Liverpool point of view, they have gone out there to spend money," Fowler told bettingexpert. "They’ve lost a player, Sadio Mane, which is disappointing. They got money for him, so they’ve received more money than they’ve spent five [or] six years ago. Probably good business for the club.
“Let’s be honest, it probably is a bit of a gamble. Any player going into any club is a bit of a gamble. It is a gamble I’m more than happy to take.
"I think when Liverpool is signing players, the signs and the infrastructure about these players, I think it is relentless. I think what they do, how they look into the player; how his mindset is, how his family life is, and how his life outside of football is, it is all taken into consideration.
“I am excited to see him play. I watched him a bit last year, I don’t claim to know everything about him, I’ll be honest about that. But what I did see last year, I think he would be a handful for Premier League defences.”
Fowler added: “Whether he is that player who will be the change I don’t know. But time will tell. I’d be confident of him doing well. Certainly under Liverpool with Jurgen Klopp, and the players that are around him.
"It boils down to a great signing. He is the type of player I wanted to see Liverpool have for a number of years. Everybody knows I am a striker. I think my love for the game is up there with my love for the players in my position.
“Liverpool has had great players and great strikers over the years. You look at Mane and Mohamed Salah; players who can change games. I think Darwin Nunez is that type of player, who can change a game. He can maybe pull a 0-0 into a 1-0 in your favour.”
Nunez is not the only high-profile striker to arrive in the Premier League this summer and his deal follows on from Manchester City's move for Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund.
Fowler, who scored 183 times across two spells at Liverpool, thinks Nunez will be under more pressure to hit the ground running earlier at Anfield than Haaland will be at the Etihad.
“I know Manchester City is thinking exactly the same thing with Erling Haaland," he said. “I hope Nunez does [better than Haaland] in all fairness. But I think he is more of a gamble for Liverpool as opposed to Haaland for Manchester City.
“Regardless of Haaland being at City, I think they still have other players who can score goals. As much as they are probably similar players, the teams are totally different.
“Manchester City might not rely on Haaland as much as Liverpool will rely on Nunez to score goals. So I can see Nunez being more of a gamble.”
Nunez could make his Liverpool debut when they travel to Fulham on August 6 to kick off their new Premier League campaign.
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