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Former Benfica left-back Alex Grimaldo, who played with Darwin Nunez in Portugal, says he can't understand why the South American was criticized at Anfield.
Bayer Leverkusen ace Grimaldo was a big fan of Nunez when he played alongside the Uruguayan. But Liverpool opted to move him on this summer when an offer of around $62 million (£46 million) came in from the Saudi Pro League team Al Hilal.
Under Jurgen Klopp and then Arne Slot, Nunez fell down the pecking order on Merseyside. While he scored a total of 40 goals for the Reds, he never fulfilled his potential in the Premier League.
"I thought that when he went to Liverpool, he was perfect for the Premier League, the type of player, and for Liverpool above all," Grimaldo said, via El Universo.
"He was a very fast, very powerful striker, with a lot of goals, a good shot. I think he’s scored a lot of goals, he’s played... I just don’t understand the criticism.
"It always happens that when there’s a very high price, they demand double or triple, and it’s not the player’s fault, because the player has nothing to do with the price. It’s between clubs.
"So, in the end, you go to a team like Liverpool, there’s pressure, they demand a lot of you. There’s always criticism, but I think he’s scored a lot of goals and assists for Liverpool anyway."
This week, Klopp, the manager who signed Nunez for Liverpool, spoke honestly about the move not working out.
"We had an absolutely good relationship," the German insisted on The Diary of a CEO podcast. "As good as can be when a striker is not scoring as often as he wants, as the people want, and as I think he could.
"With a striker who didn't play as often as definitely he wants, how can you have a fantastic relationship?
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"I didn't see the picture [from his last game in charge] but I heard about it. If he would be the number one who was jumping after me and crying his eyes out and hugging me for 10 minutes, I would have been asking 'OK, what is going on here?'
"It is a completely normal situation. My first concern cannot be to please everybody. It is just not possible in that job. The first problem starts with 25 players and 11 starting positions.
"More players are not happy that you make happy. That is where the problem starts. I'm pretty sure he had super moments at Liverpool and we had super moments together.
"On my last day, if I would have been him, I would have thought as well 'OK, the next one is a big chance for me'. Players do that.
"If it goes really well, it is not that they think thanks to the coach. If it doesn't, they think maybe he doesn't bring me on often enough.
"We are humans. We are all the same. Maybe they do more for one week, two weeks, three weeks, but then they think 'He is still not picking me'.
"You cannot always have harmony and flowers. It is a competitive environment and you need to perform to get what you think you deserve."
Liverpool.com says: Nunez was not the player Liverpool thought he would be but Grimaldo is right to say that he wasn't a complete failure. The Reds will take on Brentford this weekend, the site of one of Nunez's many big moments; he scored a stoppage-time brace at the Gtech Community Stadium in January.
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