Chelsea are showing a surprise interest in signing former Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez from Al Hilal this summer, as first reported via the Daily Briefing.
My understanding is that Nunez is highly likely to leave the Saudi Pro League club this summer, perhaps on an initial loan deal.
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Sources in the industry have informed me that Chelsea and Newcastle are looking like strong suitors for the Uruguay international, who is keen to return to Europe.
Nunez had a mixed spell at Liverpool, so might not be every fan’s cup of tea, though he did manage 25 Premier League goals in his time in England, picking up one top flight title in the process.
Sources on potential Darwin Nunez to Chelsea transfer
“Premier League clubs are lining up for Nunez, there’s a very concrete possibility of him leaving Al Hilal for a return to Europe this summer,” one source explained to me.
“Chelsea have liked Nunez for a while and still see him as someone to add spark and depth up front.”
It remains to be seen if CFC will go ahead and make Nunez a priority, but the interest in the 26-year-old is there, and it looks like he’ll be available.
An issue, however, is his high wage of £400,000 a week with Al Hilal, though he may be ready to accept a pay cut in order to get out of Saudi Arabia.
Is Darwin Nunez right for Chelsea?
Using the methodology from our Transfer Fit rating system, we judge Nunez to be a medium-level fit for Chelsea, though certainly at the lower end of medium.
As you can see below, Nunez fits the bill as a relatively proven striker, which is something Chelsea need, so even if he’s far from the best in the world he’s surely an upgrade on the struggling Liam Delap.
| Darwin Nunez | TOTAL SCORE: 12/25 |
| Transfer fee | ** |
| Performance | * |
| Achievements | *** |
| Career phase | ** |
| Squad need | **** |
However, he is in poor form and not exactly young, so it’s hard to see him suddenly improving a great deal as he approaches his late 20s.
Being available on loan, or possibly on the cheap, bumps up his score slightly, but there’s also uncertainty about precisely how that deal could be structured.
Do you think Nunez would be a good fit for Chelsea? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
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