Liverpool's Darwin Nunez has unveiled a bold new look, swapping his signature ponytail for a shaved head. The Uruguayan striker marked his 26th birthday on Tuesday and shared celebratory snaps on social media, revealing his drastic haircut.
Nunez made his way to Merseyside in 2022 following a high-profile transfer from Portuguese outfit Benfica, quickly becoming a recognisable figure due to his long locks. As the Reds sailed towards the Premier League title, he switched up his style, sporting cornrows for their triumphant match against Crystal Palace last month.
This latest change comes at a pivotal moment in Nunez's Liverpool journey, with rumours indicating that the Uruguayan international has given Serie A champions Napoli the 'green light' for a potential move. Sharing on social media, Nunez gave fans a peek into his birthday festivities.
In a series of photos, he is seen posing with his partner amidst blue and silver balloons, while the second image reveals his partner wielding an electric razor as Nunez grins cheekily.
It appears to be a crucial summer for the 26-year-old, as speculation about a possible departure from Anfield intensifies. If he does bid farewell to Merseyside, he will leave as a Premier League champion, with his brace against Brentford standing out as one of the highlights of the title-winning season.
His stint at Anfield, however, has been rather lackluster, with a scant five goals in 30 Premier League matches last season, which hardly justifies his hefty price tag.
Signs of discord appeared on his social media during the tail-end of the season, pointing towards dissatisfaction with his limited game time. On Tuesday, Napoli's intent to lodge a bid for the Liverpool forward emerged after expressing interest in the Anfield marksman.
This past January, the club had previously turned down advances from Al-Nassr of the Saudi Pro League as they sought to bolster their attack for the title race, while Liverpool chose to maintain his services eyeing his talent for their trophy ambitions.
Throughout his inaugural campaign, the Dutch manager faced scrutiny about Nunez, notably excluding him completely for certain fixtures like the one against West Ham.
During a goalless stalemate at Aston Villa's ground, where Nunez featured as a second-half substitute but squandered a prime chance, head coach Slot's patience seemed thin regarding the Uruguayan's effort.
At that juncture, Slot commented, "I helped him by saying you can miss a chance," acknowledging he wasn't excessively critical but voiced displeasure twice over Nunez's labour on the pitch, against both Wolves and Villa.
He further stressed, "I can't accept if a player doesn't give everything, that is clear. I can accept it once, but twice was a bit too much, that's why I addressed it.
"If you miss a chance, you need to be fighting for the team. I'm not saying he didn't do that at all, but it wasn't the usual Darwin, the one that is loved by the fans. That's mainly because he always works so hard."