Liverpool may rip up their summer transfer plans after Darwin Nunez’s performance against Tottenham

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Liverpool’s win over Tottenham on Thursday felt like a big moment for Conor Bradley.

The Reds’ second choice right-back was superb all evening against Spurs, stepping into the space vacated by Trent Alexander-Arnold as a potential sign of things to come.

In Jamie Carragher’s opinion, Liverpool should not sign a new right-back if Alexander-Arnold does leave this summer, and instead install Bradley as his replacement.

In that respect, the 21-year-old’s terrific display at Anfield could have altered Liverpool’s strategy ever so slightly for this summer’s transfer market.

But while Bradley was stealing a lot of the headlines, Darwin Nunez was also going about changing Liverpool’s transfer plans in his own quiet way.

Nunez looks likely to be sold after three seasons of inconsistency with the Reds. However, if he can keep doing what he did against Spurs, that does not have to be the case.

Darwin Nunez can have Liverpool future

The common consensus amongst Liverpool fans is that Nunez will leave this summer to make way for a central striker more in the mould which Arne Slot wants.

In the build-up to the Spurs game, Slot claimed that he wanted his number nine to be a goal scorer as well as a ‘facilitator’: someone who makes an impact in all phases of attacking play.

Although we think Florian Wirtz could be the ideal striker for Slot, there is an argument that Nunez is already doing this.

It’s true that the Uruguayan needs some work on the ‘goal scoring’ part of the assignment, but in terms of being a bigger part of the wider attacking plan, he is doing a top job.

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Against Spurs, everything Nunez did seemed to benefit his teammates. His touch was excellent, his movement equally as good and – as ever – he ran and ran and ran for the cause.

While he did not get on the scoresheet, and didn’t really come close to doing so, Nunez contributed to the goal tally by nipping in to win a penalty for Liverpool. Even when he isn’t statistically contributing, Darwin still very much is.

Is it realistic that Nunez stays?

If Slot sees Nunez as someone who can lead the line long-term for Liverpool, there’s no reason he shouldn’t survive this summer.

However, there are arguably two things counting against Darwin. The first is that Liverpool are expected to be busy this summer. If they are spending big, they will want to make some sales, too.

Still relatively young and with real quality, Nunez is a very saleable asset who Liverpool could expect to make some money on.

Secondly, the Uruguay international has a contract until 2027. If the Reds keep hold of him once again, then they’re probably going to want to renew his deal in order to retain his value.

Given the question marks over him, we can’t see Liverpool committing to a deal to keep Nunez at Anfield into his 30’s.

Having said all of that, if he keeps on delivering the kind of all-round displays he did on Thursday, there is an argument that Liverpool will not find better than this version of Darwin in the market. Thursday was a starting point, if he can build on this, Nunez can still turn this thing around.