Salah's Liverpool career is edging towards a sad end

Ten Hag must take responsibility for Man Utd injury crisis

Happy St. George's Day! England rebel White taunts Southgate

20 England stars who could profit from 26-man Euros squad

Barca won't get a replay - but La Liga must act after 'ghost goal'

Premier League top scorers 2023-24: Golden Boot race

Why Palmer isn't playing for Chelsea against Arsenal 

Transfers LIVE: Guimaraes to leave Newcastle amid Man Utd interest

Shock report reveals Hojlund complaint to ETH about Fernandes

In full: Arsenal's 2023-24 Premier League fixtures

Promotion or not, Leicester are walking into a total mess

Man Utd's Wembley collapse should spell the end for Ten Hag

Saudi Pro League top scorers 2023-24: Golden Boot race

Portuguese giants Benfica lost Uruguayan striker Darwin Nunez to Liverpool in a deal believed to be worth up to £85 million.Nunez scored 34 goals in 41 games for Benfica, meaning whoever comes in has some big shoes to fill.As the club looks for possible replacements, GOAL profiles the African strikers who can take over the goal-scoring duties.<script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_5704afb8-c10b-4ba5-9cb4-d7fb6098ef90"}}</script>

Tissoudali, Onuachu & Dessers: African strikers who can replace Nunez at Benfica

The 29-year-old Moroccan international had a stellar season with Belgium side KAA Gent, which yielded 27 goals in 51 appearances in all competitions as his side won the 2022 Belgian Cup in April. His efforts did not go unnoticed as he claimed the Ebony Shoe, which is awarded to Belgium's best African player or player of African descent. Benfica might not have to pay too much for the Netherlands-born forward, who can play on the wing and at centre-forward, given his age which will be an added advantage.

Tarik Tissoudali

Like Tissoudali, the Nigeria striker is another Belgium-based player Benfica can look at as they scour the market for Nunez’s replacements. The Nigerian was pivotal to KRC Genk’s title challenge in the Jupiler Pro League as he was the club’s leading scorer with 21 goals and managed 23 in total in all competitions. At 28, he is in the prime age for a bigger and better test and challenging for the Portuguese title while featuring in the Champions League could be an attractive prospect.

Paul Onuachu

Another Nigerian who could do wonders for the Lisbon giants is Dessers, who is set to return to parent club Genk after what was a successful loan with Eredivisie side Feyenoord. Dessers scored 19 goals in all competitions for Feyenoord but it was in the Europa Conference League where he turned heads. Dessers’ 10 goals made him top scorer in the competition as Feyenoord reached the final before losing to AS Roma. Named Feyenoord’s player of the Month for April, the Nigerian international is returning to Genk after the two clubs failed to agree on a fee but this will not be a problem for Benfica if they decided to come in for him.

Cyriel Dessers

The former Wydad Casablanca star is just off an impressive first season in Europe where he bagged 18 goals for Hatayspor in the Turkey Super Lig, missing out on the Golden Boot Award by just two goals to Umut Bozok of Kasimpasa. The winger, who spent all his career in Morocco with a stint in China in between, joined Hatayspor in 2021 and did not need time to adapt as he hit the ground running, helping his side to 12th position. The 28-year-old can also help Benfica fans forget Nunez and will have compatriot Adel Taarabt to help him adapt to life in Lisbon.

Ayoub El Kaabi

The Nigerian was brought in to replace Nunez when he left Almeria to join Benfica two years ago and could follow in his footsteps once again if the Portuguese side decide to go for him. Benfica will be getting a quality striker who had a successful season that yielded 18 league goals as Almeria secured promotion to La Liga. In his two seasons at Almeria, Sadiq has scored 41 goals in 74 games, a good return for player still just 25.

Umar Sadiq

Currently the subject of interest from newly-promoted Premier League side Nottingham Forest, the burly Nigerian striker could just be what Benfica need. His pace and physicality added to his finishing would make him an instant hit since these are some of the attributes Nunez possessed. The former Liverpool striker enjoyed a brilliant 2021-22, scoring 20 goals in all competitions for Union Berlin, as the Bundesliga side secured Europa League qualification following a fifth-place finish.

Taiwo Awoniyi

Tissoudali, Onuachu & Dessers: African strikers who can replace Nunez at Benfica | Goal.com Uganda

With Uruguayan striker Darwin Nunez joining Liverpool from Benfica, GOAL profiles the African strikers who can fill his goalscoring shoes for the Portuguese giants.

Editors' Picks