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Chelsea are one of three Premier League clubs to be linked with a summer interest in the former Liverpool forward, who looks set to leave Al-Hilal this summer
Chelsea are one of the clubs reportedly showing an interest in bringing Darwin Nunez back to the Premier League this summer. The former Liverpool striker looks likely to leave Saudi side Al-Hilal after just one year with the club.
He is reportedly keen on a return to the Premier League, with a few clubs already linked with a potential move. ChronicleLive reports that, as well as Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea are also a possible destination.
Nunez struggled to make an impact during his time at Liverpool. In his 143 appearances, he scored 40 goals before being sold in the summer to make room for the arrivals of Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak.
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He is reportedly on a £400,000 per-week wage with All-Hilal, a figure that would have to be cut significantly if he were to return to England this summer. If he is willing to do so, it seems there could be a race for his signature.
Chelsea legend Marcel Desailly has already told the Blues to make a move for the former Liverpool man, and has now repeated his request, outlining why it went wrong for him at Anfield.
Speaking to FootItalia, Desailly said: "I would actually recommend Nunez for Chelsea.
“He’s a very good player, a smart player – he just needs the right environment to perform. When Liverpool identified his potential, they knew what they had statistically.
"But when you start on a bad note, the confidence disappears, and the consideration from those around you follows. It’s like Dennis Bergkamp going to Inter Milan – things went completely wrong. Or Roberto Carlos in his early days, shooting the ball into the stands.
“The confidence wasn’t there. That’s what happened to Nunez at Liverpool. But the quality is still there. He’s at Al-Hilal now and has scored around six goals in 16 matches – not bad at all.
"I’m pleased to see him wanting to come back to European football – it shows money isn’t everything. A club like Chelsea, or the new Manchester United, would be best for him. He needs to be surrounded by established, confident players who know they’re going to play every weekend and who will give him the ball on the first intention.
“That’s the small detail – when he makes a run, he needs to get the ball immediately. Otherwise, he loses confidence quickly.
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"We had something similar with Frank Lampard – magnificent player, but sometimes he would look for another option instead of playing the ball first-time to the striker. You could see the strikers losing their rhythm.
“Nunez needs that immediate ball. But he’s a quality player, and he’s still young enough."
The 26-year-old has scored nine goals in 24 appearances in all competitions for Al-Hilal so far this season. He has, however, lost his place in the squad due to the arrival of Karim Benzema, prompting talk of a summer exit.
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