Earlier than Jurgen Klopp was appointed to switch the beleaguered Brendan Rodgers in 2015, Liverpool weren’t precisely savvy within the switch market.
In actual fact, the Anfield facet had been tied to one thing of a status for ineffective, questionable signings. One of many worst, proper earlier than Klopp’s creation, was the £20m deal to signal Lazar Markovic from SL Benfica in 2014, utilizing cash constructed from Luis Suarez’s sale to Barcelona.
Liverpool endured a troublesome 2014/15 season and Markovic was on the epicentre, finishing 34 appearances for the Reds however solely scoring three goals and adding one assist.
Reporter James Pearce stated that the Serbian was “rated as one of the thrilling younger skills in Europe,” however he left together with his tail between his legs and has by no means captured and directed the nascent high quality that hinted at one thing good.
It is a sort of buy that Liverpool have been decided by no means to repeat, however earlier than Darwin Nunez joined the membership, there have been issues that he was going to be the subsequent model of the previous flop.
Liverpool’s subsequent Lazar Markovic
In June 2022, Liverpool bought Sadio Mane to Bayern Munich for an initial £27m fee, and whereas Luis Diaz had been prudently snapped up six months earlier than, a participant of that calibre wanted changing within the combination.
Thus, Nunez was signed in a deal rising to a club-record £85m figure, turning into the primary acquisition Liverpool had constructed from Benfica since buying Markovic eight years earlier than.
Signing such an unknown commodity is all the time going to be one thing of a danger, as was the case when Markovic was landed years earlier than. TalkSPORT had questioned Liverpool’s bid, suggesting that it may have been a signing that emulated the earlier misfire. Markovic, in spite of everything, was additionally courted by Chelsea within the lead-up to his Anfield arrival.
Former Chelsea supervisor, Avram Grant, had stated of the Serbia worldwide: “I can say that other than Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, Markovic is likely one of the finest skills I’ve ever seen at 19 years of age.”
First Impressions
What did pundits and followers alike take into consideration their new star signing after they arrived? Soccer FanCast’s ‘First Impressions’ sequence has every part you want.
As you may see, expertise and expectation alone are usually not sufficient to hit success. Conversely, such issues can show to be the unravelling of a proficient prospect.
Nunez had some cobwebbed historical past to beat, and for a lot of, the jury could properly nonetheless be out, over two years since he joined Liverpool. Certainly, the Uruguay worldwide has confronted loads of criticism for poor ending, although he is additionally blessed with a number of the most awe-inspiring athletic qualities – and a tenacity to admire too.
In any case, he is efficiently averted plummeting into a standing that mirrors that of Markovic, who’s undoubtedly one of many worst Liverpool signings throughout the previous decade. As an alternative, he can enter the identical dialog as Vinicius Junior, Actual Madrid celebrity.
Nunez is now taking part in like Vinicius Junior
He hasn’t hit the form of free-scoring kind that each one of a Liverpool persuasion need for him beneath Arne Slot‘s wing, however Nunez is actually showcasing enhancements, particularly when trying on the underlying knowledge.
|
Darwin Nunez: PL Stats Comparability |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Match Stats* |
22/23 |
23/24 |
24/25 |
|
Matches (begins) |
29 (19) |
36 (22) |
8 (4) |
|
Objectives |
9 |
11 |
2 |
|
Assists |
3 |
8 |
1 |
|
Photographs (on track)* |
2.9 (1.3) |
3.0 (1.3) |
1.4 (0.8) |
|
Huge possibilities missed |
20 |
27 |
1 |
|
Go completion |
67% |
72% |
75% |
|
Huge possibilities created |
11 |
11 |
2 |
|
Key passes* |
1.0 |
0.9 |
0.4 |
|
Dribbles* |
0.6 (49%) |
0.4 (43%) |
0.8 (75%) |
|
Whole duels gained* |
2.8 (38%) |
2.4 (38%) |
3.5 (39%) |
|
Stats through Sofascore (* = per sport) |
|||
The info pool from the present marketing campaign is shallow, however Nunez has succeeded in making headway throughout quite a few key metrics.
Particularly, the Uruguayan is turning into crisper together with his passing and way more incisive together with his dribbling, finishing a whopping 75% of his darting runs, penetrating by means of strains to both strike on objective or make area for, say, Mohamed Salah.
Nunez has additionally missed simply the one massive probability within the prime flight this time period, having scored twice throughout his 4 beginning appearances.
Sharp, dynamic actions have all the time been a staple of his talent set and one thing that he wears on his sleeve, rating among the many prime 15% of forwards throughout Europe’s prime 5 leagues over the previous yr for progressive carries and the highest 4% for touches within the attacking penalty space per 90, as per FBref.
It is such progressive properties which have led FBref to listing Vinicius Junior as a comparable participant. The Actual Madrid sensation may need been snubbed for the Ballon d’Or in October, however he is nonetheless one of many most interesting forwards on the planet, having posted 36 goals and 18 assists for his membership for the reason that begin of final season.
Nunez hasn’t discovered his richest attacking kind beneath Slot’s wing – but – however he notched 18 goals and 13 assists throughout all competitions for Liverpool final season and desires solely hit that vein to marry the Vinicius-esque athletic means and rise to the fore
Vinicius is artistic and lightning-quick, endowed with the trickiest of methods and confidence to match. His versatility is one thing to admire, and if Nunez simply continues to work on his soccer, he may grow to be “unstoppable” – as Klopp has hailed him before – and hit the identical stage because the Brazilian sensation.
In spite of everything, he is already taking part in in an analogous method. Now to lift his sport.
Associated
Slot’s own Alonso: Liverpool battling for “world-class” £50m talent
Liverpool may very well be set to spend this winter, with Slot eyeing up his personal model of Xabi Alonso.
