Darwin Núñez, a striker for Liverpool, has had yet another challenging Premier League season. The most expensive striker for the Reds had a strong start to the season but has faltered in the second half.
Núñez has scored six goals in 2024 out of his 11 league goals this season. Furthermore, according to The Daily Mail, no player in Europe’s top five leagues has missed as many “big” opportunities as Liverpool’s number nine this season. This is concerning for the Uruguayan, especially given the amount of money Liverpool paid to recruit him from Benfica in the summer of 2022.
Since early April, Núñez has failed to score in his past eight outings for Liverpool across all competitions. The 24-year-old is now lower on the Anfield hierarchy as a result of his performance, and he doesn’t seem to be thrilled about it.
This week, Núñez’s Instagram account had all of his Liverpool-related photos removed, as noticed by fans. In addition, the striker has been linked to a summer transfer from Anfield, with Sport in Spain reporting that Barcelona is considering him.
Since then, Jürgen Klopp has downplayed the rumors, but Núñez’s future will still be a mystery when the German leaves. The striker has since surfaced from an interview he did this week with ESPN Uruguay, where he talks about some of the guidance he has received from his hero, former Liverpool forward Luis Suárez.
“Off the field, we have a very good bond. I always follow him because Luis is an idol for me and he also gives me a lot of advice,” Núñez stated about his friendship with Suárez.
For instance, Luis was the first to contact me following the headbutt incident (against Crystal Palace, when Núñez was sent off in his second Premier League game following a confrontation with Joachim Andersen).
“You idiot, don’t do that; a thousand times, another idiot has been talking to you, so stop it,” he said to me. Luis and I forged a lovely friendship.
Naturally, Suárez had his share of difficulties while playing English football. After biting Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic in 2013, he received a ten-game suspension. In addition, he was involved in a race dispute with Manchester United’s Patrice Evra in 2011 that resulted in a multi-game suspension.
Suárez had a huge success in English football despite those setbacks. He scored 69 goals in 110 Premier League games and nearly led Liverpool to a league title in 2013–14 before departing to play for Barcelona.
At Anfield, Núñez will be hoping that he finally emulates his idol. Núñez has made 94 appearances across all competitions, scoring 33 goals and dishing out 17 assists thus far.
It’s commendable that Núñez is paying attention to Suárez and considering his counsel. However, Liverpool may be hoping that he doesn’t take too much advise from him. Suárez did, after all, beg Bracelona to sign him a few years prior.
