If one had asked Liverpool fans which of Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo would turn out to be the greater asset early on in their Anfield careers, it’s unlikely many would have initially backed the latter of the two.
Still, it’s clear the Dutchman has won the faith of Jurgen Klopp over his comparatively chaotic counterpart, with James Pearce highlighting that the German sees the former Benfica man as more of a long-term project.
“There’s so much goodwill for Nunez among supporters because his potential is huge but Klopp’s recent remarks about him being a “long-term project” were telling,” the Athletic reporter wrote for the publication.
“The language barrier is one issue that needs to be resolved. So too Nunez’s instinct to run in behind defenders when Liverpool often require their centre-forward to drop off and help retain possession.
“The adaptation period for Nunez, who boasts a respectable return of 15 goals in 39 appearances in all competitions during his debut season, remains ongoing.”
The ex-PSV hitman registered his sixth goal in the Premier League with a crucial equaliser in the 2-1 win over West Ham at the London Stadium.
To what degree the language barrier is playing a part in Nunez’s relegation to the bench is unclear, though one might imagine that our coaching team will be keen to see major leaps taken in this area ahead of pre-season.
It can’t be denied that our Uruguayan international has bundles of talent and potential to realise in the game, which, if managed appropriately, will ensure we have one of the most formidable forwards in world football.
For now, of course, there’s plenty of reason to celebrate the embarrassment of riches at our disposal when it comes to attacking options.
We’ve every faith that the 23-year-old will fulfil Klopp’s demands on a consistent basis soon, which should leave opposition defences feeling a little nervous ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.