Can Liverpool build a team around Darwin Núñez?

Fasika
25th April 2023

The Uruguayan forward has had a respectable debut season for Liverpool so far.

After signing for £65 million in the summer of 2022, which ranks as Liverpool's third most expensive purchase, behind only and .

The transfer fee placed plenty of pressure on the shoulders of and I believe he's taken it on admirably.

As we're in the last two months of the season, he's netted 9 goals in 23 appearances in the and 15 goals in all competitions.

While it's not the numbers he netted in his final season at Benfica where the 23-year-old scored 26 goals in the Primeira Liga and 34 in all competitions, including six in the UEFA , an adjustment period was also expected to occur in his first season in England.

Núñez will certainly be under pressure in his second season at Liverpool to become more clinical and help take the goalscoring load off .

At 23 years of age, the striker is the future of Liverpool and questions have been asked about whether the club can build a team around him to get the best out of him.

He's too good not to 

Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images

Just for comparison, Núñez has scored more goals in his debut season than the likes of , , and , placing him in an elite class.

The striker also had the least amount of experience in the top flight before coming to Liverpool, playing just two seasons with Benfica.

The talent is obvious with Núñez, the pace, the strength, the movement, he's everything you want a striker to be.

We've seen the connection he has with with the full-back tracking the runs the Uruguayan makes as he assisted him with sublime passes in the goals he scored against Newcastle United and Wolves earlier this season.

With a new midfield expected to arrive in the summer, a more forward-thinking engine room wanting to feed the constant runs Núñez makes is certainly an exciting prospect.

He's not ready for the responsibility 

Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images

As I mentioned previously, the forward had only two seasons of top-flight experience before his move to Liverpool and a team built around him in what would be his fourth season of top-division football next season could come a little early for him.

Also, he's not the only top forward at the club, with Mohamed Salah yet again the top scorer for Liverpool this season, as he has been every season he's been at the club.

Despite a decent season so far, Núñez has missed a plethora of guilt-edge chances this season, most recently, a 1-on-1 against in last week's 2-2 .

The striker should be able to focus on continually improving his craft without the worry of spearheading a Liverpool side in transition.
However, a couple of years down the line, could you see Darwin Núñez as the guy for Liverpool?

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