The Liverpool and Arsenal Club Crests
Should Arsenal have launched a bid (Picutre: Getty)
Didi Hamann believes Arsenal missed a trick by not trying to sign Liverpool forward Darwin Nunez before he left Anfield for Saudi Arabia last summer.
Much was hoped of Nunez in a Liverpool shirt after the Uruguayan striker completed a big-money move to Anfield from Benfica in 2022.
However, the pacey forward struggled for consistency during his three seasons on Merseyside, starting only eight Premier League games under Arne Slot last season before being sold to Al-Hilal in the summer.
After Nunez’s departure, Liverpool replenished their options in attack with the big-money arrivals of Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak.
Arsenal, meanwhile, splashed out on Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres as they looked to find a clinical goalscorer to spearhead Mikel Arteta’s attack.
So far, though, Gyokeres has not looked the same striker in the English top-flight, mustering up only five goals in his 21 league matches so far this campaign.
And former Reds midfielder Hamann believes the Gunners could have been wiser to have taken a punt on Nunez, who he believes is ‘tailor-made’ for their side.
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Liverpool v Athletic Club Bilbao - Pre-Season Friendly
Darwin Nunez left Liverpool last summer for Saudi side Al-Hilal (Picture: Getty)
‘I thought last season everybody was having a go at Darwin Nunez but I thought Nunez would have been tailor-made for Arsenal, a team that creates many chances,’ Hamann told CasinoBeats.
‘For all his faults, and for all his easy chances he missed, Nunez always occupied two or three defenders with his physicality and his pace.
‘If he could finish, he’d probably be the best player in the world. But I think for Arsenal he would have been a much better fit than Gyokeres.’
Viktor Gyokeres of Arsenal FC looks on during the UEFA
Didi Hamann is not convinced by Viktor Gyokeres (Picture: Getty)
Gyokeres was benched last weekend against Manchester United, with Gabriel Jesus instead chosen to lead the line.
And Hamann is not certain that Gyokeres can force his way back into the starting lineup, insisting the Swede is not the striker who will finally deliver Arsenal the league title.
‘I don’t think he’s one of the top strikers in Europe,’ he added. ‘I think he’s a goal scorer but then again I don’t think a goal scorer against the best teams is enough because I don’t think he will get into positions where he can score.
‘They brought Gyokeres in as the centre-forward but I don’t think he’s good enough. Whether that will be the deciding factor in the end I don’t know but at the moment, it certainly didn’t help Arsenal.
‘We saw Gyokeres at a few clubs before Sporting and I’m just not sure whether he’s got the ability to play against the best defenders in Europe and in the Premier League.
‘It takes something more to even get into positions where you can finish against players like this, and obviously you have to finish chances too. It’s a very physical game and sometimes it can wear you out.
‘If you do get a chance after 70 or 75 minutes, maybe you lack that bit of energy and concentration and you miss it. In Portugal he didn’t have to do too much work going backwards and maybe that could have saved him. Not every challenge was a full-on challenge.
‘Sometimes we have to give players a bit of time because it’s a difficult game but I’m not sure he’s got what it takes to lead the line for a club like Arsenal and take them to the title in all honesty.’
Arsenal are looking to return to winning ways in the league when they travel to face Leeds United at Elland Road on Saturday.
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