Report: Forward’s Anfield exit expected with top-flight rivals circling | OneFootball

Darwin Nunez and Liverpool: Time Up for a Misfit Striker?

Premier League Clubs Circle as Nunez Nears Liverpool Exit

“Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez is increasingly likely to leave Anfield this summer and TWO Premier League clubs are considering moves for the Uruguayan international, TEAMtalk understands.”

It is a stark fall from grace. Once heralded as Liverpool’s next dynamic forward line threat, Darwin Nunez now stands on the precipice of a swift Anfield exit. His time on Merseyside has been punctuated by explosive potential but maddening inconsistency. And now, under the gaze of a new regime, it appears that the curtain is falling.

The Uruguayan’s numbers speak volumes—just seven goals in all competitions this term. For a player who cost upwards of £64 million in 2022, the returns are glaringly modest. New Liverpool manager Arne Slot has not hidden his lack of faith. Since his arrival, Nunez has started sporadically and struggled to impact games meaningfully.

As TEAMtalk report, “everything points towards him leaving Liverpool.”

Interest from Atletico Madrid and Domestic Rivals

This summer, Nunez won’t be short of suitors. Atletico Madrid have expressed genuine interest, and their strong relationship with Liverpool could smooth negotiations. “Atletico have started evaluating the financial feasibility of a deal,” TEAMtalk confirms.

But it’s not just La Liga clubs circling. “Sources state that Newcastle are also keeping tabs on Nunez.” With Eddie Howe’s side bracing for potential bids for their own star forward, Alexander Isak, the Magpies are scouting for alternatives. Nunez, alongside Viktor Gyokeres and Victor Boniface, is on that list.

Nottingham Forest have surprisingly emerged in the conversation too. “TEAMtalk can confirm that Nottingham Forest are also monitoring Nunez’s situation and considering a move for him in the summer.” Nuno Espirito Santo wants an elite-level striker if his side secures European football, and Nunez’s profile has clear appeal.

Photo: IMAGO

An Inevitable Separation?

There’s a sense of inevitability about this divorce. Nunez is too talented to be sat on the bench, but Liverpool cannot afford to persist with a forward who lacks composure and certainty in front of goal. As TEAMtalk rightly state: “Given that Slot hasn’t been convinced by Nunez since his first weeks at Liverpool… Nunez’s departure seems almost inevitable.”

What Next for Liverpool?

Liverpool’s recruitment department must now act decisively. The forward line, once among Europe’s most feared, has reached a crossroads. Nunez’s sale—likely to recoup a sizeable, if reduced, fee—will necessitate bold moves. The club can’t afford another misstep in attack.

Nunez’s Liverpool story was always polarising. Electrifying in flashes, wasteful when it mattered most. His exit, when it comes, will likely be met with both relief and regret.

Our View – EPL Index Analysis

From a fan’s perspective, this Darwin Nunez situation is frustrating but not surprising. When he arrived, we were told he was raw but had world-class potential. The goals against Newcastle, the movement against City—there were glimpses. But the inconsistency has remained his trademark. For every header rattled in off the bar, there was a sitter ballooned into the Anfield Road end.

Some supporters defended him staunchly, citing the pressing, the chaos he caused, and his off-the-ball running. But in football, especially at a club chasing silverware every season, your forwards must deliver end product.

The change in manager has done him no favours. Arne Slot, unlike Klopp, isn’t building his system around unpredictable talents. He wants fluidity, intelligence, and control in the final third. With Cody Gakpo and Diogo Jota also in the mix, Nunez finds himself slipping further down the pecking order.

Forest and Newcastle are respectable destinations—both could offer him regular football and confidence. Maybe that’s what he needs: a reset, away from the pressures of leading the line at Liverpool. Most fans will wish him well… but few will mourn the decision if the club reinvests wisely.