Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp ignored the transfer staff and signed Darwin Nunez over Chelsea star Christopher Nkunku
Liverpool star Darwin Nunez was supposedly a ‘Jurgen Klopp signing,’ but the Reds’ recruiting team preferred a move for now-Chelsea star Christopher Nkunku in 2022. Nunez joined Liverpool from Benfica in the summer of 2022 for £85 million, but he has struggled to meet the expectations he brought with him.
The Uruguayan has scored 33 goals in 92 games for the Reds but has recently questioned his finishing, with his lack of cutting edge in front of goal on display again on Wednesday in his side’s 2-0 defeat to Everton.
He squandered a guilt-edge opportunity in the first half of the game, shooting straight at Jordan Pickford with the score at 1-0. Nunez had high expectations following his transfer, but he is failing to meet them.
According to the Times (h/t Express UK), Klopp was the one who pushed for Nunez to join his side. Liverpool eventually granted his demand and completed a lucrative deal in the summer of 2022.
However, it is reported that Anfield’s recruiting team believed that then-RB Leipzig forward Nkunku would have been a better fit. The dynamic Frenchman has recently finished a season with 35 goals and 20 assists.
Nkunku had another successful season in 2022–23, scoring 23 goals in 36 appearances across all competitions. Chelsea swooped to secure a deal early in the season, officially revealed last summer.
The Blues have not seen Nkunku at his finest. An injury in pre-season delayed the 26-year-old’s Premier League debut until the winter, and he has only played seven games so far for Chelsea in the Premier League.
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Chelsea is fighting for a spot in Europe as they currently sit in ninth place on the Premier League standings just six points behind rivals Manchester United who are in sixth place. However, Chelsea would like to forget this season having been pretty rough for them. They will remain hopeful to learn from their mistakes and come back stronger in the next season, with stars like Nkunku coming back and proving their worth to the world.