Darwin Nunez is arguably one of the most disappointing signings in recent memory at Liverpool.
Signed by Jurgen Klopp in the summer of 2022, Nunez was supposed to be the next great striker on Merseyside.
Although the Uruguayan certainly had his moments for Liverpool, and left as a Premier League winner this summer, the £70m+ they ultimately spent on him could have been put to better use.
Having seen Michael Edwards exit the club in 2022, Nunez was viewed as being a departure from the data-led recruitment model which had been so successful under Klopp.
Instead, there were suggestions that the former Liverpool manager was the driving force behind bringing Nunez to Anfield.
Three years on, and with Klopp no longer part of the club, the German has finally cleared up who really wanted to sign Nunez for Liverpool and why.
Jurgen Klopp did not sign Darwin Nunez alone
At the time Nunez joined Liverpool, there was good reason to believe he could become a success.
The then 22-year-old was coming off the back of a 34-goal season with Benfica and had bags of raw potential.
Crucially, Nunez had impressed while playing against Liverpool in the Champions League, which was reported as being the tipping point for Klopp deciding to sign him.
However, in a revealing two-and-a-half hour interview with Steven Bartlett’s Diary of a CEO, Klopp says Nunez was signed in collaboration with the recruitment team.
“Exactly like before, we decided it all together involved in that process, that’s how it is nowadays,” he said.
“We would have loved to have signed him for less money, of course, but in that moment it wasn’t possible. We wanted to have a striker, an extra option with Bobby [Firmino], the best false nine in the world. We needed someone with a bit more speed and stuff like this. We had to change.
“Luis Diaz, great, Cody Gakpo, great, what kind of player don’t we have? I thought Cody could play a bit like Bobby, good footballer inside but he fits much better on the wing. We all signed him together, no problem to admit that it didn’t work out as good as it could, but without Darwin Nunez so many things wouldn’t have happened. The biggest comeback of all time at Newcastle, for example. I love that day!”
Klopp gives insight into relationship with Nunez
Although Klopp was initially a huge fan of Nunez’s, the relationship appeared to have soured by the former manager’s final day with Liverpool.
Nunez went viral for appearing not to clap during a guard of honour for Klopp at Anfield, and when asked about his relationship with his former striker, Klopp admitted things could have been better.
“Darwin? We had an absolutely good relationship. As good as can be with a striker who is not scoring as often as he wants, as the people want and as I think he could have.” he said. “A striker who didn’t play as often definitely as he wants, so how can you have a fantastic relationship?”
“I didn’t see that picture [of him sulking in the dressing room], I heard about it. If he had have stood there and been the number one and jumping after me, crying his eyes out and hugging me for 10 minutes, I would have thought ‘okay, what’s going on here.’ Completely normal situation.
“My first concern cannot be to please everybody, it’s just not possible in that job. 25 players, 11 starting positions so more players are not happy than you make happy.
“On my last day at Liverpool, if I would have been him, I would have thought as well, ‘okay, come on, the next one is a new chance for me,’ because players do that. If it goes really well for them they don’t think thanks to the coach, if it’s not going well they think it’s not my fault blah blah blah. We are all humans, we are all the same.
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