Liverpool reportedly have a replacement lined up for Darwin Nunez, who is enduring a difficult third season at the club.
Nunez struggling as Reds held on Tyneside
Following an £85m switch to Liverpool from Benfica in 2022, Nunez’s performances during his first two seasons at Anfield were inconsistent, but he showed glimpses of brilliance, including a memorable brace in a resounding 7-0 win over Manchester United in 2023.
His output wasn’t bad either, scoring 15 in all competitions in his first year, before improving on that total to notch 18 the following year. This term, however, the Uruguayan striker appears to have completely hit a wall.
He’s scored just three goals in 18 games, and has come under heavy scrutiny for his lacklustre performances, most notably in the Reds’ recent 3-3 draw with Newcastle United.
Nunez gave the ball away cheaply on multiple occasions during the game, and missed a great opportunity in the second half.
In light of his display, Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher said that he doesn’t expect the 25-year-old to be at the club for too much longer.
When asked about Nunez’s future at Liverpool, Carragher said on The Overlap: “I’m not sure he’s here next year, I think he’ll probably move on. He’s more like a cult hero because he’s a bit mad and he likes to run around.”
Liverpool leading race for new striker
As alluded to by Carragher, Liverpool already appear to be preparing for life without Nunez. At least that’s according to Calcio Mercato, the Reds are leading the race to sign Inter Milan forward Marcus Thuram, who is also attracting interest from Paris Saint-Germain.
Thuram, the son of France legend Lilian Thuram, has been one of Inter and Serie A’s best players since moving to the San Siro from Borussia Monchengladbach last summer. This season, he’s already scored nine goals in just 13 Serie A games – a return that makes him the division’s second-top scorer behind only Atalanta’s Mateo Retegui, who has 12.
Calcio Mercato claim that Thuram is on Liverpool’s list of potential Mohamed Salah replacements, with the Egyptian’s future at Anfield currently up in the air. The publication says, however, that while the Reds are “at the forefront” for a deal, Inter would only be willing to let go of the striker if a “truly unmissable offer” came in or if his £70 million release clause is met.
Thuram, 27, has previously been described as “world class” by Wolfsburg sporting director Marcel Schafer, while Daniel Farke, who managed the striker at Gladbach during the 2022/23 season, once called him “an exceptional player of the highest international class”.
Former Gladbach teammate Denis Zakaria, meanwhile, said of Thuram in 2019: “He is a great guy, a little crazy maybe, but what he brings to the pitch is phenomenal.”
