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A former Uruguay youth manager has put forth his theory on why it didn’t work for Darwin Nunez at Liverpool

After three seasons at Anfield, the striker appears destined to pack his bags and leave Merseyside.

Napoli have led the chase, lodging an initial €50 million-plus-bonuses bid for the 26-year-old striker, while Saudi Pro League outfits remain in the mix.

That bid was rejected, but the Serie A champions are intent on getting their man.

Fabrizio Romano insists the 26-year-old has given the “green light” to a move to Naples his summer, with Liverpool eyeing a fee north of €60 million to recoup much of their 2022 outlay.

A move to Serie A would afford him Champions League football and Antonio Conte’s ambitious project that has already seen the likes of Kevin De Bruyne make the switch.

Now Fabian Coito, who was Nunez’s coach for the Uruguay U20s between 2017 and 2020, believes that the way Liverpool controls tempo means there are not chaotic open spaces to exploit – something that the former Benfica star thrives on:

“A clear statement must be made about Darwin Nunez: based on his technical, tactical and personal characteristics, he needs certain conditions to be able to perform at his best,” Coito said to Kiss Kiss Napoli via Area Napoli.

“First of all, he needs to be physically fit.

And these tactical prerogatives probably weren’t developed at Liverpool, preventing him from expressing himself to the fullest.”

Coito adds that the snap decision making required in the Premier League also has probably not helped Nunez reach his full potential at Anfield:

“In the Premier League, the pace is high and you have to make the best decisions on the pitch in a fraction of a second?

I have no doubts about Darwin: he’s young, he has an impressive physique, his greatest quality, and he’s in great shape.

“Plus, he’s an exceptional person, and from my point of view, this aspect is fundamental.”

The Uruguayan’s limited playing time became increasingly apparent in the season’s latter stages, with Nunez failing to start a Premier League match after the victory over Southampton on March 8.

This reduction in opportunities coincided with reports suggesting Liverpool owed Benfica an additional €5 million if he reached 60 starts, though Slot dismissed these claims as unsubstantiated.

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