His transfer had aroused only attention in the spans of Anfield last summer. Recruited at a high price by Liverpool, who paid 75 million euros to attract him from Benfica, Darwin Nunez was even often compared to Erling Haaland, who arrived for the same amount at Manchester City a few weeks earlier. While he had won their first face-to-face in the Community Shield (3-1), Nunez had not even made the weight during the season against his Norwegian competitor, dominating in the Manchester City hat-trick last year. Even if the Scandinavian cyborg is the undisputed favorite for the title of Golden Boot across the Channel, the Uruguayan could offer him a good battle in the coming months for several reasons.
A quality summer preparation
Beyond his inaugural goal against Manchester City in the Community Shield the previous year, Darwin Nunez had also managed his first game in the Premier League by scoring a goal and delivering an assist in the draw against Fulham (2 -2). What followed was much more complicated. Author of a stroke of blood on Joachim Andersen which kept him away from the field for several matches, the defector from Benfica gradually lost his place as an irremovable holder at the forefront of the attack of the Reds. Following the winter arrival of Cody Gakpo and the return of Diogo Jota, injured during part of the first half of the season, the native of Artigas had even less game time in the second part of the season. Finally, in 42 meetings with the residents of Anfield, Nunez scored (only) 15 goals and offered 4 assists. A not bad but not very rosy record when we think back to the 75 million euros that were invested by the Liverpool leaders.
Back in the kitchen this summer, Nunez showed a much more interesting face. Sometimes starter, sometimes substitute, the Uruguayan international (16 caps, 3 goals) has never played more than one half in his five preparation matches. However, despite this reduced playing time, he scored 4 goals and told his coach, Jürgen Klopp, that he could count on him. Last season, Darwin Nunez notably scored a quadruple against Leipzig in preparation. Even if the summer friendlies indicate more tendencies than truth, the fact that the 24-year-old striker has scored in 3 matches this season playing no more than 45 minutes per match indicates that his too often failing sense of goal last year, was surely found this summer.
An interesting parallel with his Lisbon adventure
Clues which therefore do not reveal the reality of the coming season, but which can already push Liverpool supporters to rub their hands. While he has the physical qualities to win in the Premier League, it only remains for Darwin Nunez to find that click that will allow him to pile up the goals. Author of nine goals in the English elite last season, there is no doubt that he can, in the long term, double or even triple this already encouraging total for a year of adaptation. Because yes, it is one of the tangible explanations to justify his first season on the banks of the Mersey: the adaptation time. It is certainly complicated to collect an expensive transfer in one of the most prestigious clubs in the world. Moreover, it is not the first time in his young career that Nunez has faced this kind of situation.
When he arrived at Benfica in the summer of 2020, he was just a promising young striker who had had an impressive season at Almeria. And his first season in Lisbon had also been half-hearted like the one he has just experienced in Liverpool. What is disturbing is that his statistics during his first vintages in his two prestigious clubs are very similar (44 matches with Benfica against 45 with the Reds, 14 goals against 15). A similarity that portends great things for his second season in England. Indeed, during his second and last exercise in the Portuguese capital, Nunez had scored a whopping 34 achievements in 41 appearances in all competitions.
Like Liverpool, he wants to get back to the fore
But now, to reach this almost prophetic potential, Nunez would have to enjoy an almost irremovable starting status. However, as evidenced by his 210 minutes in 5 preparation matches, he leaves more in the shoes of a luxury substitute in the eyes of Jürgen Klopp, who does not seem to be of great leniency either after the average first season of his player. However, while he would take English lessons and be more familiar with the style of play proposed by his coach according to the English press, the 24-year-old center forward seems determined to be back in the fore. Rid of legend Roberto Firmino, who left for Saudi Arabia, the player trained in Penarol is the only real scorer for the Reds and has everything to win in a revamped and quite attractive squad following the summer transfer window.
Indeed, the recruitments of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai should bring even more creativity to Liverpool’s midfield, which was sorely lacking last year. With this promising workforce, all these beautiful people will surely have a fit Nunez to pile up the goals. In addition to the Europa League, which surely serves as an achievable goal for them, Klopp’s flock will certainly be more keen to return to the front of the stage in the Premier League and play the spoilsports in the mano a mano announced between Manchester City and Arsenal. For that, Liverpool need a Nunez in top form and who will take Liverpool to the top in his wake. First element of response this Sunday against Chelsea…
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