Darwin Nunez has been advised his time at Liverpool is upDarwin Nunez has been advised his time at Liverpool is up
Darwin Nunez has been advised his time at Liverpool is up | Liverpool FC via Getty Images
The future of Darwin Nunez continues to be one of the most discussed topics in English football.
Darwin Nunez’s position at Liverpool remains a huge talking point around the world and as we approach the summer transfer window, rumours focusing on a potential Anfield exit are ramping up.
The Reds broke the bank when they signed the Uruguayan in 2022 for a record £85 million. Since then, his performances have divided both fans and professionals alike and many now believe his time to prove himself in a Liverpool shirt is up.
Since Arne Slot’s arrival, Nunez has made just eight Premier League starts and has come off the bench on 15 occasions. While the 25-year-old has contributed some important goals this season, his efforts have often been wide of the mark and frustrations have grown.
Former Liverpool icon Stan Collymore is one of the latest to issue his honest verdict on what lies ahead for Nunez. Making a comparison with his own playing career on Merseyside, the ex-striker has dropped his brutally honest advice in his latest CaughtOffside column.
Darwin Nunez ‘should leave’ Liverpool
Collymore delved into a number of topics across English football in this week’s column, and he had a lot to say about Nunez and his situation at Liverpool. He reflected on the Uruguay international arriving at Anfield as a ‘confident’ player but said his performances now look ‘robotic’ on the pitch.
“That is probably because of the pressure that he is under at Anfield. He just does not look confident, composed or relaxed, even if his goal output is not as bad as many people make it out to be.
“The longer that this pressure remains, the harder it will become for him, and it has already started to affect his decision-making on the pitch, and especially in front of goal,” Collymore wrote, going on to admit the sometimes relentless expectations that come with being a Liverpool player.
“Nunez has definitely been affected by his Liverpool experience, and I think that he should leave – simply put, he is not up to the standards needed at Liverpool, which can be very unforgiving.
“My record at Liverpool is often looked down upon, and I had 50 goal contributions in 89 appearances! And the problem for Nunez is that he is being compared against the great Liverpool strikers, such as Ian Rush, Fernando Torres, Luis Suarez, Michael Owen… and of course, he is a massive disappointment when lined up against them.”
Collymore has compared his own time scoring goals for Liverpool with Nunez’s experience. Both players have enjoyed scoring crucial last gasp goals against Newcastle for the Reds.
Collymore netted a huge stoppage time winner back in 1996 in a 4-3 thriller against the Magpies, while Nunez was the man of the moment last season with his two late goals to overturn Newcastle’s 1-0 lead.
What is the latest on Darwin Nunez’s Liverpool future?
The leading narrative at the moment is that Liverpool could use the sale of Nunez to fund a blockbuster swoop for Alexander Isak. Arne Slot’s side are on the market for a new centre-forward this summer, with criticism falling on the shoulders of both Nunez and Diogo Jota lately.
Multiple reports have claimed that Liverpool are indeed planning to sell Nunez this summer as a new era at the club unfolds. An update from TEAMtalk last month reported that the Reds are ‘expected to approve the sale’ of Nunez to Saudi Arabia, while their interest in Isak continues to burn bright.
The Newcastle star is not expected to come cheap by any means, but selling Nunez for as much cash as possible will help fund such a statement move. Although, Football Insider recently claimed that Liverpool are already in a position to spend upwards of £100 million on a new centre-forward this summer.
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