The recruitment team for Liverpool wanted to sign a star from Chelsea, over Darwin Nunez. Jurgen Klopp pushed to sign Nunez, even though the recruitment team identified Christopher Nkunku as being a better fit for the team. Nunez arrived at Liverpool in 2022 in a deal that could potentially rise to £85 million. If this happened, it would make him the most expensive signing for the club. The striker has scored a total of 33 goals over 92 games since his arrival.
Darwin Nunez has been a valuable signing for the team but has missed out on 46 big chances. Major mistakes like this have led to people questioning Klopp and whether or not his decision to sign him was, in fact, the right one. According to claims made in The Daily Mail, the recruitment team didn’t feel as though signing Nunez was a good idea. Klopp persuaded them in a deal that resulted in Nunez joining Liverpool from Benfica, in a deal that is worth over £85 million. He’s struggled to meet expectations and has been met with criticism regarding his ability to finish. During the 2-0 loss to rivals Everton, his lack of scoring ability became evident.
Nkunku signed with Chelsea in a reported deal worth £52 million. He signed in 2023, to a six-year deal. Shortly after signing, the forward has struggled with numerous injuries. Bookmakers are constantly adjusting odds for football matches to accommodate for player injuries, with his absence having huge impact. Since his debut at Stamford Bridge, he’s made just 10 appearances. Klopp stands by his decision to back Nunez, saying that he is happy with his development within the league and that there are major differences in him between now and last year. This year he appears a lot more settled, and happier in himself. The 4-3 win against Fulham in December is a good example of how statistically, he could have performed better, but according to Klopp, he still did everything right. There are a lot of key games coming up for the team. So it’s going to be interesting to see if Klopp’s confidence pays off. In the meantime, fans can partake in virtual sports betting, as this creates the experience of being at an actual sporting event, even if it’s just virtually. Virtual sports matches can be based on real teams and players, making it easier to see the potential of a player in a simulated match-up.
According to Klopp, aggression from Nunez in the early days wasn’t welcome, but he has since learnt how to apply it in a more strategic way when on the field. The rest will come, and right now, Klopp seems to be both calm and collected about his future with the team and thinks that as the months go by, he will continue to improve and be a worthy addition to Liverpool. Whether or not he made the right decision, is yet to be seen.