Expectations were high when Liverpool paid £64m (potentially rising to £85m) to sign Benfica’s Darwin Núñez in the summer of 2022. Approaching three years later, the Uruguayan has failed to justify the large transfer fee the Reds coughed up for him. Including the add-ons, he is the most expensive signing in the club’s history yet he now regularly finds himself starting on the bench.
Despite the poor start, Núñez is still a relatively young player at 25 years of age and his current contract only expires in 2028. Might he find a way of turning things around at Anfield? Or is Darwin a player who is simply unable to evolve to the challenges of the Premier League?
Why Did Liverpool Pay So Much for Núñez?
Welcome to the Reds family, @Darwinn99 😁🔴#DarwinDay pic.twitter.com/ggSyONbUJb
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) June 14, 2022
Trying not to answer this question with the benefit of hindsight, Darwin Núñez was highly regarded at the end of the 2021/22 season. In his final campaign at Benfica, he netted 34 goals across competitions. You might dismiss this record given most came in the Portuguese league, but it was six goals more than second place and Núñez impressed in the Champions League too.
His impressive record on the continent saw him fire goals past Liverpool (two), Barcelona (two), Ajax and Bayern Munich. Having shown real prowess against some strong opposition, the Uruguayan did not look like a player who would be something of a flop in England. Indeed, when his transfer was confirmed, the consensus was that this would be a good signing for Liverpool.
For their money, Liverpool were getting a young striker on the back of a sensational season and one that showed such great physical attributes. Take a look back at Núñez’s goals for Benfica and you will see a speedy striker who would dart in behind defences and whose athleticism also made him a threat in the air.
Núñez’s Stats
Núñez brought the same physical attributes and work rate that made him a success in Benfica to the Premier League. Although Arne Slot questioned his effort in February’s games against Aston Villa and Wolves, he has largely been regarded as a tireless worker during his time at Anfield. So, why has a player with such pace, strength, athleticism and endurance found life so difficult in England?
Looking at his stats provided by FBref (a comparison of other forwards over the last 365 days) it is perhaps hard to believe he is struggling.
It is important to note here though that not only does Núñez play for a strong side that attacks far more than most, but he is usually deployed in easier fixtures or when Liverpool are chasing a goal. This combination of factors means that he is always likely to have favourable stats compared to a striker at a club lower down the table.
That said, there are still a lot of positives to take from this. The high tackling figure shows Núñez’s winningness to press defenders and his success when doing so. His clearances show he can be a useful asset when defending set pieces. The figures for progressive passes received and touches in the penalty area highlight his desire and ability to receive the ball in dangerous areas.
No other Liverpool forward can stretch opposition defences quite like Núñez who will willingly make runs in behind all game. So given this, why is Núñez not at all favoured by Arne Slot?
Player Weaknesses
While you can pick out positive things to say about Núñez, has several notable limitations. One is that he is just not as technically gifted as his fellow forwards. The likes of Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo and Diogo Jota are all far more comfortable on the ball and better at retaining possession. Although Slot is happy for his side to counter quickly at the right time, there is a focus on controlling the games through possession too. At the time of writing, the Reds had the fourth-highest possession stats in the division (56.6%).
Poor Positional Play
Then there is the issue of the Uruguayan’s poor positional play. A striker that likes to run in behind defence will inevitably find himself flagged offside more than most but Núñez is particularly bad for this. In the 2023/24 Premier League season he was the most flagged offside player (33), five times more than Nicolas Jackson in second, who played nearly 800 minutes more. Even this season, at the time of writing, the 25-year-old is averaging one offside every 89 minutes.
Sub-Standard Finishing Ability
You could forgive the loose first touch and regular offsides if he was banging in goals, but Núñez cannot do that reliably. By far his biggest issue since joining Liverpool has been his sub-standard finishing ability. It is looking increasingly like his clinical 34-goal season at Benfica will prove to be an anomaly as he has consistently proven wasteful in front of goal for Liverpool.
Some people say it is a confidence thing but even when Núñez has enjoyed a couple of goals, the small purple patch has rarely lasted long. At this stage, it seems best to accept that he is simply a poor finisher and this is unlikely to change. Anyone who watches Núñez play will know how wasteful he is but here are his stats to back it up.
| Season | Goals | xG | xG Performance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 9 | 14.37 | -5.37 |
| 2023/24 | 11 | 19.19 | -8.19 |
| 2024/25 (up to end of Feb) | 4 | 4.76 | -0.76 |
One Goal in the Champions League
Although he has not been as wasteful in the league this season, partly due to his limited minutes, he has not covered himself in glory in other competitions. In the Champions League group stages, he scored just one in nearly 400 minutes of action and he only managed the same return in five domestic cup appearances.
Although his work rate and positive attitude have made him a popular figure among the Liverpool faithful, recent costly misses have chipped away at his popularity. There was the failure to equalise late on in the FA Cup defeat to Plymouth soon followed by an open goal miss in the league draw with Aston Villa. At this stage, you could run a lengthy compilation video of terrible finishes featuring efforts entirely from the Uruguayan.
Cut Your Losses & Move On
🥇| Darwin Nunez is expected to leave Liverpool in the summer. [@FabrizioRomano] pic.twitter.com/Ct475ZjhrW
— Anfield Edition (@AnfieldEdition) February 26, 2025
We would not be remotely surprised to see Liverpool try and offload Núñez in the summer, especially if the reported Saudi interest remains alive. He just is not good enough to be playing for one of the best teams in Europe and there is little reason to think he will turn things around. The Merseysiders spent a lot of money on him but sometimes you just have to cut your losses and move on.