Since his initial £64 million transfer from Benfica in the summer, Darwin Nunez is yet to get going truly. But he is still expected to be a “huge hit.” for Liverpool.
Darwin Nunez hasn’t exactly lit up the Premier League since his club-record move to Anfield over the summer. But his former psychologist at Benfica has given the Reds a positive report.
Nunez had a strong season in Portugal last year, scoring 34 goals in 41 appearances across all competitions. Despite scoring on his Premier League debut, things haven’t been quite as good for Nunez since moving to Merseyside.
Benfica Psychologist on Darwin Nunez
Evandro Mota, a psychologist for Benfica, has spoken out about the Uruguayan “jewel,.” He is predicting that Nunez will be a “huge hit” for Liverpool in the Premier League due to a quality that “very few” players possess.
In an interview with FourFourTwo, Mota revealed how Nunez deleted his Instagram account after facing backlash for his early dearth of Benfica goals. He said:
“When an athlete has the guts to admit he needs some help, it’s so much easier to work with him. That’s Darwin, a boy way ahead of his age who always kept an open mind and was willing to listen to the right people.
When people are dealing with so much criticism, we suggest it’s best if they isolate themselves from the environment that’s doing them harm. Darwin is a kid who demands a lot of himself and realized the social media stuff would only bring him down.
He had already overcome a lot in his life, and that episode has helped him become an even better professional. That’s what makes him a real gem, not only in terms of technical quality but also in terms of intelligence.”
Nunez’s Liverpool career actually had a great beginning. In July, he struck his team’s third goal in their 3-1 FA Community Shield triumph over Manchester City. A week later, he came off the bench once more to score and provide an assist on his Premier League debut in the 2-2 draw at Fulham.
He was given a three-match suspension for headbutting Crystal Palace defender Joachim Anderson. This was in the 57th minute of the Reds’ season-opening home encounter, which was his first start for the team. The Reds went with 10 men and ultimately drew 1-1.
On September 3, he made a comeback and began the 0-0 draw with Everton before coming off the bench for the matches against Napoli and Ajax in the UEFA Champions League. But according to Mota, who believes the 23-year-old has something special, maturity will help him get through.
He said:
“It was a whole different culture for him [when he joined Benfica]. I was impressed by him. He said something that I’ve never forgotten and immediately told head coach Jorge Jesus about it.
Darwin said, ‘Look, I know I have a lot to learn and to keep gaining experience. This is from a 21-year-boy. I’ve been working with some of the best football talents for more than four decades.
Do you know how many times I’ve seen a youngster being this mature and humble at this age, even after fulfilling his dream of helping his parents buy a home? Very, very few times.”
Nunez “will grasp his opportunity,” according to Mota’s conclusion. And this is also the opinion of Jurgen Klopp and his colleagues. Although it is pointless to compare his start to Erling Haaland’s at this point, there is a lot of hope that he will be able to continue the same route once he becomes a regular starter for the Reds.
