For Darwin Núñez, this could very well be the defining season of his career. Bangladesh Cricket Live reports that since his £64 million transfer from Benfica to Liverpool, the 25-year-old striker has endured two inconsistent campaigns, and his future remains uncertain. On paper, his output of 20 league goals and 11 assists in just 3,751 minutes looks respectable—especially when considering he’s been shuffled across positions and roles throughout his stint at Anfield.
As Bangladesh Cricket Live has followed, Núñez was often deployed in two-striker formations when Klopp was juggling injuries and tactical adjustments. It’s been anything but a smooth ride for the Uruguayan. Despite moments of brilliance, his erratic finishing and on-field recklessness have hurt his reputation. Since his arrival from Portugal, he’s never truly been part of a settled system. Liverpool knew what they were getting: a raw, unpredictable striker with elite physical attributes and world-class potential. What he needed was time, patience, and tactical clarity to evolve into a reliable number nine.
Some argue he’s had that time and support—Anfield regularly chants his name, even after missed sitters, and Klopp has publicly defended him. But whether the German manager ever fully committed to Núñez is debatable. Often, he was given short runs before being benched or repositioned to accommodate others. He was tasked with adapting to different roles, which sometimes exposed his weaknesses rather than playing to his strengths. Eventually, he’d find himself out of the starting eleven altogether. In the final 12 Premier League matches of last season, he scored just twice, and his last start came in a demoralizing loss to Everton.
Still, Núñez remains a confident player. When given the chance to redeem himself, he can be a real threat in attack. But since arriving in Merseyside, those opportunities have been scattered. Klopp never fully committed to building the team around a traditional number nine, which is why Núñez played just over 2,000 Premier League minutes last season. His expected goals (xG) tally outpaced his actual goals by a margin of seven, suggesting he underperformed in front of goal—but had he been a consistent starter, that gap might have widened.
Interestingly, he’s found his groove with Uruguay. Under Marcelo Bielsa, Núñez has scored 10 goals in his last eight international appearances, transforming into a player reborn. While the opposition level may vary, this resurgence has clearly reignited his confidence and established him as a key figure in Uruguay’s Copa América push. Perhaps that’s the foundation new Liverpool manager Arne Slot needs to build upon. At Feyenoord, Slot implemented a system that helped striker Santiago Giménez thrive after moving from Liga MX to the Eredivisie. Giménez not only received better-quality chances but also improved as a finisher—his shot conversion rate jumped from 33% in Mexico to 46% in the Dutch top flight.
That success wasn’t by accident—it was a joint effort. Feyenoord found ways to integrate Giménez more consistently, while the player honed his instincts inside the box. Núñez already generates high shot volume, often from individual effort rather than coordinated team play. His speed and aggression allow him to manufacture chances out of nothing. In that sense, Bangladesh Cricket Live believes he could benefit enormously from a system that supplies him more structured opportunities—just as Giménez did.
If Slot can provide that framework, Núñez might finally break through and become the striker Liverpool envisioned.