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Where Liverpool’s file signing Darwin Nunez stands amongst Europe’s finest goal-scorers

3 min read

Liverpool have wager large on Darwin Nunez. And they normally don’t.

The Reds signed the 22-year-old from Portuguese aspect Benfica for a reported charge of 64 million kilos, which might probably rise to a club-record charge of 85 million. Nunez was on the radar of a number of the high European groups, at one level he was stated to be a giant switch goal for Manchester United.

Jurgen Klopp’s aspect had been at all times the clear favourites although, and for a staff that spends cash within the switch market as judiciously as Liverpool, the reported figures a couple of comparatively unknown participant in Europe actually did elevate eyebrows.

A better have a look at the Uruguayan’s scoring figures permits a deeper understanding of why he was so excessive on Liverpool’s precedence listing.

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Nunez’s scoring numbers are among the many finest in Europe. Robert Lewandowski leads the way in which for targets scored and is shortly adopted by Frenchmen Karim Benzema and Kylian Mbappe. But Nunez’s return of 34 targets in 41 appearances places him joint fifth on this listing, and his targets per match ratio is much more spectacular, comfortably trumping Liverpool celebrity and high scorer Mohamed Salah.

When in contrast with Europe’s elite goal-scorers by way of targets per minute performed, Nunez’s numbers change into much more spectacular:

The Uruguayan scored a purpose each 83 minutes he performed for Benfica final season, a file that was bettered solely by Erling Haaland and Lewandowski – each of whom ply their commerce within the high-tempo Bundesliga. Even Benzema – who has undoubtedly had the very best season of his profession – has a decrease minutes per purpose ratio at 89.

Nunez nearly averages a purpose each full sport he performs, and at 22, that could be a significantly spectacular file, even when it isn’t in one of many elusive high 5 leagues in Europe.

Fitting into Liverpool’s system

Over the previous two seasons, Liverpool have needed to come to phrases with the truth that their longstanding and dependable entrance three of Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane, and Salah, should get replaced. With the latest signings of Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz, the Reds have tried to maneuver into the long run, and Nunez will play proper into that.

It is probably going for the 22-year-old to take a while to adapt to the physicality of the Premier League, and the bodily and tactical calls for of Jurgen Klopp’s high-pressing system. But going ahead, the Uruguayan greater than holds his personal.

Here’s a have a look at how a few of Nunez’s attacking metrics within the Portuguese league evaluate to Liverpool’s present ahead gamers:

It is clear that the January signing of Luis Diaz has provided Liverpool one thing completely distinctive. The Brazilian’s dynamic and direct fashion has added aptitude and risk-taking to the Reds’ frontline, particularly relating to pictures and dribbles accomplished.

But Nunez’s enjoying fashion is extra in step with Klopp’s different attackers, and final season he outperformed most of them in key areas. While Firmino’s poor numbers are a product of him enjoying much less and fewer, Mane and Jota are well-beaten by Nunez relating to pictures taken, dribbles accomplished, and probabilities created per sport. In phrases of targets per sport, as seen within the charts above, he has an excellent higher output than Salah.

Nunez’s velocity, goalscoring intuition, and uncooked potential praise Jota’s intelligent motion and Diaz’s dynamism effectively. If Klopp can unlock the Uruguayan’s finest, the Liverpool frontline ought to transfer into the long run with ease, with or and not using a answer for Salah’s contract.