Jurgen Klopp says Darwin Nunez will get better and better due to ‘crazy’ talent
By Carl Markham, PA
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp believes it is scary the levels striker Darwin Nunez could reach.
The Uruguay international’s stunning winner in Wednesday’s Carabao Cup win over Bournemouth was his seventh of the season, having scored in his last three matches.
Nunez scored 15 times in what was a difficult maiden campaign both individually and collectively for the team following his £64million move from Benfica.
The 24-year-old did not speak English when he joined the club but that is developing and Klopp believes he will only got better.
“It is completely different now. The first year was hard for him and then hard for me as well because you see this incredible talent, massive potential, but it is difficult to unfold it,” he said.
Brighton🅰️
Everton🅰️
Toulouse ⚽️🅰️
Nottingham Forest ⚽️
Bournemouth ⚽️@Darwinn99's last five matches 👏 pic.twitter.com/bySkTGtUho— Liverpool FC (@LFC) November 2, 2023
“I am a manager who can help a player but I need contact for that, it can speed up a process by talking a lot with the player.
“I was not able to do that because I don’t speak Spanish and he didn’t speak English but his English is now that much better. My Spanish still not.
“But he is settled in the team and when you see him around the building everything is different and he is in a very good moment. It is still only the start for him.
“It’s a good moment, hopefully it continues like that forever. Then I am a bit afraid of the highs he could reach because there is so much there it is crazy.
“But now at least we found the real starting moment and let’s work from here.”
Klopp relied heavily on Brazil goalkeeper Alisson Becker to be his on-field translator in Nunez’s first season but the arrival of Argentina midfielder Alexis Mac Allister in the summer has helped even more.
“The football English is not complicated so we don’t have so speak about everything in life. The football communications are absolutely possible, which is helpful, and we have an extra on-field player,” added the Reds boss ahead of Sunday’s trip to Luton.
“So far it was always Ali who translated everyone and now we have Macca and they are really close with each other and Macca is a super-smart footballer so if I forget to tell him something Macca tells him anyway.
“Strikers need to know where to go when midfielders have the ball and that depends on the midfielders and that is the stuff you talk to players about.
“But the players talk to each other as well about it and Macca is super-helpful. Lucho’s (Luis Diaz) English is also getting better so they are close as well.
“There is not just a specific amount of time, for each individual it is different, to really arrive. But who cares, it is done now and that’s good.”
