Darwin Nunez: Could Uruguayan have a Scott McTominay-esque rebirth under Antonio Conte at Napoli in Serie A if he leaves Liverpool?
Updated 19/06/2025 at 21:28 GMT+1
With Darwin Nunez reportedly heading for a move to Napoli after a disappointing time at Liverpool, Pete Sharland takes a look at why linking up with Antonio Conte could be exactly what is needed. Conte brought Scott McTominay to new levels last season in Naples. The Scot was voted Serie A Player of the Year. He could do the same for Nunez should the Uruguayan make the move.
Haaland or Nunez - whose miss was worse? Liverpool forward somehow spoons over
Video credit: TNT Sports
Sometimes clubs spend a lot of money on a player and they surpass expectations.
Virgil van Dijk or Kevin De Bruyne were extremely expensive signings who have been worth every penny and more for Liverpool and Manchester City.
But sometimes it does not work out. The list of most expensive signings in Premier League history houses plenty of disappointments.
Darwin Nunez is reportedly heading for the Anfield exit door, and should he leave, he will do so having failed to fulfil expectations.
Nunez was signed by The Reds in the same summer that Erling Haaland rocked up at Etihad Stadium. Three years later, Nunez has played 95 Premier League matches, Haaland has played 97. One has 25 goals, the other has 85.
It just has not worked out.
But that does not mean that Nunez’s story is over. How can it be when he’s going to turn 26 next week?
Going to the south of Italy, and joining up with Antonio Conte, could be exactly what he needs…
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Nunez the player - what are the issues?
Let’s start by looking at Nunez the player. When he was first being linked with Premier League clubs in April 2022, TNT Sports spoke to Portuguese football experts Tom Kundert and Aaron Barton.
"He’s a real handful," said Kundert. "Big, busy, energetic forward, with a fantastic burst of acceleration, good technical ability, can play across the front line."
Barton added: "Everything that he does, it is very powerful, it's very directed, he will tend to try and rifle it into the top corner rather than, you know, try and be a bit cuter."
But both had concerns. Kundert said he thought an extra season in Portugal could have done him a world of good, saying that he often gets "a bit rushed when he gets close to goal."
As we mentioned earlier, if Nunez leaves Liverpool, it will be with 25 Premier League goals in three seasons. That is one fewer than he managed in his final season at Benfica. His conversion rate in his final season at Benfica was 30.6%; last season it was 14.7%.
So why did it go wrong? Ultimately, the simple fact of the matter is that Nunez did not score enough goals. Here is what Reds’ legend Robbie Fowler said on TNT Sports in February after a catastrophic miss against Aston Villa.
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Nunez misses from seven yards out – ‘Got to get it on target’
Video credit: TNT Sports
Looking at the miss that came from Dominik Szoboszlai's lay-off, Fowler was critical, saying: "He doesn’t think, does he? It’s a bad miss. It’s one of the worst misses we’ve seen this year. He’s missed the target, criminally, from seven or eight yards. That can’t be happening."
Earlier, talking about a different miss, Fowler said: "And that is people’s worry about Darwin Nunez, because you think he doesn't think about the game enough.
"If you’re struggling for confidence, you’ve got to go back to basics. You’ve got to get the ball and touch it, give it five yards.
"You don’t dally on the ball to wait for someone to make an unbelievable run so you can play the pass. You play simple things, the basics, the simplicity of being a footballer."
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Nunez 'doesn't think about the game enough' - Fowler
Video credit: TNT Sports
This echoes with what Kundert said, about the decision-making and panicky nature of Nunez’s play in front of goal.
But you can understand why Liverpool signed him, stuck with him for so long. This is what former manager Jurgen Klopp said about Nunez in October 2022 when asked a question at a press conference about Nunez’s potential.
"The potential is incredible. It's not only speed, the attitude is really good, he is a real worker.
"Again, I tell you - and I know there are some people out there who think, 'Technically, not sure, first touch...' - it is incredible. That he doesn’t bring it on the pitch all the time, the first touch might be here or there sometimes, is nothing to do with technique. It is just a bit too late, awareness, orientation and all these kind of things, but it is all possible to develop and to learn.
"That’s where we are at, it’s really exciting, but where it can go I have no idea."
Now, we go to Naples.
Conte the resurrectionist
Over the course of his career there have undoubtedly been holes in Conte as a manager. However, he consistently excels at getting the most out of players - especially ones who others had discarded.
Last season’s title triumph was powered in part by the remarkable resurgence of Scott McTominay. In 176 Premier League games for Manchester United (117 starts), McTominay scored 19 goals and provided four assists. In 34 Serie A games for Napoli (33 starts), McTominay scored 12 goals and provided four more assists.
It is a remarkable return on investment and was achieved by Conte by giving McTominay the freedom and confidence to push forward and be that kind of attacking engine.
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Highlights: McTominay and Lukaku fire Napoli to Serie A title
Video credit: TNT Sports
As Eurosport Italy’s Simone Pace points out, this is despite McTominay being a late adjustment for the manager and club. "Napoli had virtually signed Marco Brescianini from Frosinone, but the player suddenly opted for Atalanta when everything seemed set.
"Conte was furious and Napoli subsequently turned to McTominay, who arrived as a second choice.
"[But] Conte has once again shown his knack for revitalising struggling players, instilling enthusiasm and motivation. Napoli hopes he'll work similar magic with Nunez. Conte has got a knack for getting the best out of his players, not just tactically but also in terms of character and grit.
"Here in Italy, many believe Conte wants to bring Nunez to Napoli because the Uruguayan striker is an explosive player, excellent at attacking depth and with the right experience to tackle a tough league like Serie A. Conte loves players with these qualities".
Pace predicts Nunez to be "a huge signing" not just for Napoli but for the whole of Serie A.
After the miracles Conte has worked in the past with some players, it’s exciting to imagine what he could do with Nunez.
Thoughts?
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