The missing piece in Liverpool jigsaw
Nunez is perfect fit for Klopp’s men ...he’s deadly in the air and can head in all those crosses from full backs
We’ve all seen those YouTube videos that show a footballer’s best bits — the ones that come with some awful dance track being blasted over the top until you find the mute button. Supporters watch them to get an idea of the guy their club is trying to sign.
There are already dozens dedicated to Darwin Nunez, showing his skills, his creativity, his directness. It makes him look like an ideal man for Liverpool. But having had the pleasure of seeing this forward in the flesh a few times, it’s his aerial ability that has impressed me.
At 6ft 2in and 80kg (12st 8lb) he’s a handful for any defender, and it was his headed goal against Ajax that sent Benfica through to the Champions League quarter-finals. That could be a useful addition for Liverpool up top.
Nobody produced more crosses than Trent Alexander-Arnold in the Premier League last season, and Andy Robertson wasn’t far behind his pal.
Against sides that defend deep — and plenty try that tactic when going to Anfield — you need someone challenging for those balls coming into the box.
When Liverpool drew 1-1 with Tottenham last month, they crossed the ball 46 times — the most of any side in a single match during the 2021-22 campaign — and 46 times it wasn’t headed beyond Hugo Lloris.
As a result, Liverpool dropped two points. How costly that proved. They finished one point behind Premier League champions Manchester City. They lost the Champions League final to Real Madrid as they were unable to beat Thibaut Courtois.
They won the FA Cup and Carabao Cup but didn’t score in either of those finals against Chelsea, instead relying on penalty shootouts to prevail.
If Nunez can come in and give Liverpool that edge in those scenarios, then Jurgen Klopp will consider him worth his hefty cost.
Klopp has already seen him score home and away against his team in the Champions League and he was a tormentor, gravitating towards the left wing where he could come in on to his right foot. At 22 years old, time is on his side, and the manager can mould him into the forward he wants, potentially positioning him in between Luis Diaz on the left and Mohamed Salah on the right.
Manchester City are often criticised for being the money bags. They write the cheques that bring in first-class talent. Now Liverpool are set to spend big because they believe Nunez is the perfect buy.
Will this £85million purchase work out? For that outlay, they hope so, but then nothing is guaranteed. We thought Chelsea bringing back Romelu Lukaku was a masterstroke that would turn them into Premier League title contenders, but that turned out to be bad business at £97.5m.
Nevertheless, I’m looking forward to seeing Nunez wrestle with those Premier League defenders for crosses and showcasing the skills that made him prolific in Portugal.