Darwin Nunez could be key to Liverpool landing perfect Florian Wirtz sidekick

Offloading is an important item on 's to-do list this summer. And the ideal scenario may just have come about whereby Anfield chiefs can kill two birds with one stone by moving him on.

With only eight starts last season, it is clear that does not fancy Nunez as his starting centre-forward. As an recruit entering the prime years of his career, Liverpool could still fetch big money for him in the transfer window, even if his value has dropped significantly in the three years since his arrival from Benfica.

Serie A appears to be one of the more likely landing spots for the Uruguay international. Napoli have been linked in recent days, while a report from highlights that Nunez has also been offered to AC Milan.

The Rossoneri already have an out-and-out No. 9 in Santiago Gimenez - the Mexican marksman signed this winter. But it is thought that San Siro bosses are open to the idea of pairing Gimenez with Nunez to form a deadly partnership in the Italian top flight.

Pushing Nunez towards Milan and establishing a good relationship with the club during negotiations could ultimately help Liverpool land one of their more ambitious targets - Rafael Leao.

The Portuguese winger has been courted by some of Europe's top clubs this summer, and he removed AC Milan from his Instagram bio at the end of last season. Liverpool are among the cash-rich sides rumoured to be hot on his heels.

His services wouldn't come cheap, with reports of an sure to have filtered through to Anfield. But throwing Nunez into the mix could help the Reds either knock some money off their final bill, or at least work their way into Milan's good graces in case other clubs rival them for the signing of Leao.

A player of the Portuguese's calibre would add even more firepower to Liverpool's forward-line and put a talented European star to the left of incoming attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz. Throw in Mohamed Salah on the right, and either Cody Gakpo or Diogo Jota through the middle, and Wirtz would be surrounded by some of the world's deadliest forwards.

It could get even better than that for Liverpool fans amid links to high-level strikers such as Eintracht Frankfurt's Hugo Ekitike. Slot will need new bodies at the top end of the field if exit-linked stars like Nunez, Luis Diaz, Federico Chiesa and Harvey Elliott all depart.