Newcastle United are now eyeing a move to sign Darwin Nunez, bringing the South American back to the Premier League just one year after he left Liverpool.
Record-breaker Nunez now on Newcastle’s radar
The Magpies have an undeniable striker problem to solve – one that neither Nick Woltemade nor Yoane Wissa are likely to solve. Without European football, attracting that solution could prove to be a tough task for Ross Wilson, who is already working on some surprising options as a result.
Luis Suarez (no, not that one), already finds himself on the Magpies’ radar following an excellent season at Sporting CP, but he’s not the only name to emerge.
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Newcastle United fell victim to a late equaliser at the City Ground against Nottingham Forest, with Jacob Murphy struggling to get going throughout.
According to Football Insider, Newcastle are now eyeing a move to sign Nunez, who could have his contract terminated at Al-Hilal ahead of the summer transfer window.
It would hand the Magpies the chance to land an instant bargain, as long as the forward is willing to accept a lower wage below his current Saudi earnings which reportedly stand at £374,000-a-week.
The forward has endured a frustrating time in Saudi Arabia, losing his place in their squad to new signings halfway through the season, and desperately needs a return to Europe.
His Premier League reputation may be that of an erratic finisher, but there is no doubt that Liverpool have missed the energy and chaos he can provide at his best – even without the end product.
By signing Nunez, Eddie Howe would be adding a new dynamic to his attack whilst replacing Anthony Gordon’s pace amid recent Bayern Munich rumours.
To sum up just how quick Nunez is, the Uruguay international clocked the fastest sprint speed in Premier League history at the time when he clocked a top speed of 23.61mph against West Ham in 2022.
“Unbelievable” Nunez would reignite Newcastle attack
For a side like Liverpool and a manager like Arne Slot, who is desperate for control, Nunez’s chaos was always likely to provide more harm than good. At a side who are unlikely to dominate the ball in every single game, however, someone like the South American could thrive on the counter.
Alan Shearer is certainly a fan, too. Nunez has already received the seal of approval from the Newcastle legend when he first joined Liverpool.
“I like a lot of what I’ve seen with Nunez. A player with unbelievable talent who may not be a natural finisher. It’s obvious — glaringly so — that the Uruguay international needs to find a bit more self-control in front of goal, but I don’t see a massive issue there.”
If Howe welcomed the chaos that Nunez can bring, rather than the lack of mobility that forced him to drop Woltemade deeper, then Newcastle’s frontline could have a whole new dynamic. Then add some end product to Nunez’s game, and he’d have an excellent striker.
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