Liverpool have reportedly come to a decision over the future of Darwin Nunez amid shock claims that Jose Mourinho wants to work with the South American at Fenerbahce.
The former Benfica striker has proven himself as a consistent goal contributor since arriving at Anfield in the summer of 2022, in a deal that could eventually see him become the Reds' most expensive player.
Nunez has had a direct hand in 50 strikes from 96 matches in a Liverpool shirt - 33 of his own and 17 assists - conjuring up 18 goals and 13 assists from 54 matches in the 2023-24 campaign.
However, the 25-year-old is often ridiculed for his wastefulness in front of goal and sparked serious speculation over his future a couple of months ago, memorably deleting nearly all Liverpool-related posts from his Instagram page.
Nunez explained that the repetitive online criticism was the reason for his decision, claiming that he got "hot" in the heat of the moment but denying that his activity had anything to do with his future at Anfield.
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Liverpool 'rule out' Nunez loan or sale
Nevertheless, the South American's future was inevitably called into question in the wake of that social media episode, and a shock report from Ajansspor claims that Mourinho is keen to bring him to Fenerbahce.
The former Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur head coach has apparently eyed up the 25-year-old as a successor to Michy Batshuayi, who has departed Fenerbahce to sign for bitter rivals Galatasaray.
However, according to the Liverpool Echo, the Merseyside giants have absolutely no intention of letting Nunez leave in the coming weeks, whether that be on loan or permanently.
New head coach Arne Slot is thought to be particularly keen to work with the former Benfica striker - contracted to Liverpool for another four years - and he has made a strong start to the 2024 Copa America with Uruguay.
Nunez scored twice in Uruguay's three group matches - netting in wins against Panama and Bolivia as his nation took the maximum nine points on offer in the group stage, setting up a quarter-final with Brazil.
Is it worth keeping faith with Nunez?
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Potentially the most frustrating player for Liverpool supporters to watch at the minute, Nunez has mixed unpredictable chaos with worrying wastefulness ever since touching down at Anfield.
The 25-year-old's numbers are more than respectable, and he would have registered at least a few more in the 2023-24 season had he not registered a record number of woodwork hits.
No massive makeover is required for Nunez's attacking game - just a bit of fine-tuning here and there - and Slot's success with Santiago Gimenez shows that he ought to be the right man to bring out the best in Nunez.
It has also been claimed that the ex-Feyenoord boss is planning to use Cody Gakpo as a number nine in the 2024-25 season, which would force Nunez to fight for his spot, but added competition should only be a good thing for the South American and Liverpool.
Ben Knapton
