Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez is reportedly set to leave the club this summer amidst links to Al-Hilal and Al-Ahli of the Saudi Pro League and Serie A side AC Milan.
It is said that Simone Inzaghi has earmarked the Uruguayan number nine as his first-choice target up front, and given the arrival of Hugo Ekitike, as well as the Reds' continued interest in Newcastle's Alexander Isak, Nunez is likely to have his gametime taken by others.
With the World Cup coming up in 2026, the striker will be keen to see as much of the pitch as possible in order to stay sharp and in the manager's plans, and this could factor into any decision to leave.
Nunez arrived at Anfield as a young star full of potential, and while it would be fair to say that he has failed to live up to expectations, he has shown flashes of the player that Liverpool fans were excited to watch.
With this in mind, he may want to stay in Europe with a view to getting his top-level career back on track, though it remains to be seen whether the likes of AC Milan can meet Richard Hughes's asking price after Napoli failed to do so earlier in the window.
Here, Sports Mole considers Nunez's time at Liverpool, with a look at both the positives and the negatives.
Darwin Nunez of Liverpool after missing his penalty against Paris Saint-Germain, on March 11, 2025
What went wrong for Darwin Nunez at Liverpool?
Liverpool were prompted to sign Nunez after his prolific 2021-22 season in which he was one of the standout forwards in Europe both domestically and in the Champions League.
The then-21-year-old striker scored 26 goals and provided 4 assists across 28 Primeira Liga matches, as well as netting six goals in UEFA's premier club competition, including one in a devastating performance against Jurgen Klopp's Reds at Anfield.
That campaign, Nunez was one of the best finishers around, scoring his 26 league goals from just 19.28 xG, an exceptional overperformance of 6.72.
For reference, Erling Haaland's biggest ever overperformance was 4.97, while Kylian Mbappe's best finishing season matched that 6.72 figure.
However, he has underperformed his xG in each of his three seasons since arriving on Merseyside, scoring 25 Premier League goals from an expected total of 40.47 in the top flight overall.
Even the world's best strikers miss big chances, and many top-class players underperform their expected goals numbers, but Nunez has consistently missed easier chances to the point of extremity.
Darwin Nunez of Liverpool on January 31, 2025
Darwin Nunez and Sadio Mane: Why raw goal and assist numbers are not everything
Unfortunately for Nunez, he has become so well known for high-profile misses that his numbers are often overlooked, though it is important to stress that data needs to be considered in context.
For example, despite his undeniable difficulties in front of goal, the Uruguayan striker's goal contributions per-minute record during the past three seasons is remarkably similar to that of legendary Reds forward Sadio Mane across his first three terms at Anfield.
In the Premier League, Nunez has scored 25 goals and provided 13 assists to his teammates in 4886 minutes on the pitch, meaning that he has generated one direct contribution every 128 minutes.
Mane scored 45 goals and laid on 13 assists in 7540 top-flight minutes during 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19, tallying up to a rate of 130 minutes per direct goal contribution.
If all competitions are added in, the current number nine's record is superior to that of the Senegalese forward, coming out with a goal or assist every 118 minutes for Nunez and one every 135 for Mane.
Darwin Nunez makes it 2-0 to Liverpool on July 13, 2025
Would a summer transfer to AC Milan or Atletico Madrid suit Darwin Nunez better than Saudi clubs Al-Hilal or Al-Ahli?
With these figures in mind, it is clear that Nunez is not necessarily a poor player overall, but his unreliability makes him a poor fit for a club that are currently challenging on all fronts, and whose ambitions rely on winning out in marginal situations where mistakes are costly.
Perhaps if he were to find a move to a club like AC Milan or Atletico Madrid, who were credited with interest several times in the past, then he could build some confidence and become an important player for a competitive side in Europe.
One of the striker's strongest attributes is that his constant movement allows him to receive more high-value chances than most, and he has generated one xG every 118 minutes in the Premier League.
If Nunez were to match his expected goals rate, without even overperforming it, then such a number could be worth 29 goals per season in the English top flight, and a new manager at a new club may feel capable of harnessing that potential.
The former Benfica man has scored some important goals and won important points for Liverpool in recent times - his brace during the 2-0 away triumph against Brentford in 2024-25 for instance - but it is likely best for all involved to part ways this summer, even with untapped potential left behind.
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