The manager keeps stating he can improve players. Darwin just needs help with calming down at key moments. He has all the rest in spades. Let's see what Slot can do with Darwin.
Sell him, he will be very successful elsewhere. We have 5 weapons up front who are the envy of the premier league. Do not weaken the best part of our team.
I’ve got splinters on this one. What I definitely wouldn’t do is sell him in England.
I can cope with watching Darwin tearing it up in La Liga, Ligue 1 or Serie A, but not the PL if it’s not in Liverpool red.
I would consider selling him abroad for around £50m because I think there is a big enough question mark over him. We could replace him with a centre forward with less of a question mark (or Jayden Danns could explode, if only he wasn’t injured).
I do think there is still every chance he becomes a big success though. He is elite in so many ways, and is young enough to become the full package, in an ideal world.
That ideal world might not happen though. He might continue to frustrate, under perform, and it get to a point where £30m becomes hard to achieve let alone £50m as his contract winds down.
Basically we need to see him in the team for a bit, which isn’t going to happen until next month when the games come thick and fast and Jota can’t start them all.
So I guess I have talked myself into a keep, for now, but revisit in January or June depending on what happens between now and then.
Agreed; I'd add that the risk of losing £25MM in transfer fees is far outweighed by him becoming world class...Even if that is for PSG or Barca. Would 100% not sell him to even Villa at this point.
So the thought had occurred… what if they sold Nunez and did a quick deal for osimhen?
Wages aside.. how would that stack up?!
But generally no; and I am excited to see Nunez in slots team. I think it may take a little time to integrate as slot gets the team into some rhythm and works on the fine details with Nunez.. but I think he could be another to benefit from not having to run about so much (as I think Diaz will)
Where the rest of the team can give more control, I think then Nunez could balance that with just enough chaos.
And hopefully if he is closer to goal getting more consistent types of chances he can start to finish then a bit more consistently.
In Uruguay National team, he performs pretty well. In Benfica, the year before he came to Anfield, he did great.
So...
The quality is there. The stability, not so, but imagine... if we had bought Mo, one year AFTER that great season he had (his first with us), and for the double fee. He NEVER repeated that season, and (even though i don't have the numbers but with the naked eye) he misses quite a lot chances and has periods of drought. Should we consider the following seasons a flop, because he didn't repeat THAT season again?
Darwin had the "bad" luck to hit a peak before come to us, and for a quite big fee (even though, if you consider the inflation and the post pandemic market, it's not that big), which always adds to the stress to prove himself.
He also had the bad luck to come in during a season where the team proved to be exhausted and stricken by many injuries. He got a red card and an injury, which didn't help to build confidence either.
In 2nd season, he found himself in a team with a completely new middlefield, with Klopp trying a new system, and without a regular post in the staring XI.
All of our forwards (even Mo after his injury in Copa Africa) had spells of drought (for different reasons each).
But only Darwin is under such a pressure and questioning, because his THAT great season in Benfica AND his bigger transfer fee.
He is a very sensitive boy, who has to feel trusted.
Slot knows how to give him confidence. With our younger, better middlefield, with the players settled and more mature, he will deliver.
I love a good poll, especially backed with data like this but I'm simply the wrong person to ask. I have attachment issues - Kevin Keegan would still be playing up front for us if I was in charge.
It is worth remembering that there will be international breaks this season. Darwin will miss 5 Uruguay games, thanks CONMEBOL, so he should be available to play for us for those periods.
“if we assume the Reds have paid the maximum [for Núñez, £85m], they’ll need a fee of £51m this window to break even for PSR.” <- please explain. Do Liverpool need to break even this window for PSR?
No, I don't think so - I think that price is based on his amortisation value, so it would ensure there wasn't a loss in the books. But I don't think it would matter in the short term if there was.
The manager keeps stating he can improve players. Darwin just needs help with calming down at key moments. He has all the rest in spades. Let's see what Slot can do with Darwin.
Sell him, he will be very successful elsewhere. We have 5 weapons up front who are the envy of the premier league. Do not weaken the best part of our team.
Interesting question, which I can’t answer.
I’ve got splinters on this one. What I definitely wouldn’t do is sell him in England.
I can cope with watching Darwin tearing it up in La Liga, Ligue 1 or Serie A, but not the PL if it’s not in Liverpool red.
I would consider selling him abroad for around £50m because I think there is a big enough question mark over him. We could replace him with a centre forward with less of a question mark (or Jayden Danns could explode, if only he wasn’t injured).
I do think there is still every chance he becomes a big success though. He is elite in so many ways, and is young enough to become the full package, in an ideal world.
That ideal world might not happen though. He might continue to frustrate, under perform, and it get to a point where £30m becomes hard to achieve let alone £50m as his contract winds down.
Basically we need to see him in the team for a bit, which isn’t going to happen until next month when the games come thick and fast and Jota can’t start them all.
So I guess I have talked myself into a keep, for now, but revisit in January or June depending on what happens between now and then.
It sounds like you're in the same boat as me... there's a talent there but will we ever see it consistently?
Agreed; I'd add that the risk of losing £25MM in transfer fees is far outweighed by him becoming world class...Even if that is for PSG or Barca. Would 100% not sell him to even Villa at this point.
So the thought had occurred… what if they sold Nunez and did a quick deal for osimhen?
Wages aside.. how would that stack up?!
But generally no; and I am excited to see Nunez in slots team. I think it may take a little time to integrate as slot gets the team into some rhythm and works on the fine details with Nunez.. but I think he could be another to benefit from not having to run about so much (as I think Diaz will)
Where the rest of the team can give more control, I think then Nunez could balance that with just enough chaos.
And hopefully if he is closer to goal getting more consistent types of chances he can start to finish then a bit more consistently.
Lovely idea for an article and polls btw!!
No freaking way...!
He is Captain Chaos...
A Lethal Weapon, in the right hands.
In Uruguay National team, he performs pretty well. In Benfica, the year before he came to Anfield, he did great.
So...
The quality is there. The stability, not so, but imagine... if we had bought Mo, one year AFTER that great season he had (his first with us), and for the double fee. He NEVER repeated that season, and (even though i don't have the numbers but with the naked eye) he misses quite a lot chances and has periods of drought. Should we consider the following seasons a flop, because he didn't repeat THAT season again?
Darwin had the "bad" luck to hit a peak before come to us, and for a quite big fee (even though, if you consider the inflation and the post pandemic market, it's not that big), which always adds to the stress to prove himself.
He also had the bad luck to come in during a season where the team proved to be exhausted and stricken by many injuries. He got a red card and an injury, which didn't help to build confidence either.
In 2nd season, he found himself in a team with a completely new middlefield, with Klopp trying a new system, and without a regular post in the staring XI.
All of our forwards (even Mo after his injury in Copa Africa) had spells of drought (for different reasons each).
But only Darwin is under such a pressure and questioning, because his THAT great season in Benfica AND his bigger transfer fee.
He is a very sensitive boy, who has to feel trusted.
Slot knows how to give him confidence. With our younger, better middlefield, with the players settled and more mature, he will deliver.
He is a bullet, ready to leave the gun...!
In Slot We Trust😁
I love a good poll, especially backed with data like this but I'm simply the wrong person to ask. I have attachment issues - Kevin Keegan would still be playing up front for us if I was in charge.
I love that the first poll has yes at 35%, the second at 30% and the final one is at 13%. My persuasive arguments must have worked!!
It is worth remembering that there will be international breaks this season. Darwin will miss 5 Uruguay games, thanks CONMEBOL, so he should be available to play for us for those periods.
Very true, and that's more training time with Slot which can only help his cause.
No
“if we assume the Reds have paid the maximum [for Núñez, £85m], they’ll need a fee of £51m this window to break even for PSR.” <- please explain. Do Liverpool need to break even this window for PSR?
No, I don't think so - I think that price is based on his amortisation value, so it would ensure there wasn't a loss in the books. But I don't think it would matter in the short term if there was.