14 November 2023 , 09:39
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Luis Suarez has revealed that Liverpool approached him to speak to Darwin Nunez during his first season struggles at Anfield.
The striker arrived for a club record fee of £85million in the summer of 2022, but struggled to get going in the first months of the season. He scored only five goals before the World Cup in Qatar, but did enough to be included in Uruguay's squad for the tournament.
He was joined in the Middle East by Suarez, who enjoyed a stunning three year spell at Liverpool, becoming one of the Premier League 's most feared strikers. Liverpool bosses saw the perfect chance to capitalise on Suarez's vast experience, with the striker having also taken time to hit his best form at Anfield.
The former Liverpool star has been recalled to the Uruguay national squad, with Nunez now the first-choice striker. And Suarez has revealed he played a key role in helping the 24-year-old to find his feet on Merseyside.
"He has potential, technical ability and physical power that he is demonstrating. As a teammate, I am not surprised because I knew, even When he had a bad time in Liverpool last year I spoke to him, in Liverpool they told me to talk to him," he told AUF TV.
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"I warned him and told him what English football was. He, with the heart he has, opened up and told me what It had happened to him at that moment, we talked about it. Also about the number 9 shirt in the national team, I told him that when I leave I want him to grab it.
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Luis Suarez has played a key role in Darwin Nunez finding his feet at Liverpool"That's why, if you listen to Darwin's statements, he says it with total sincerity. As a teammate I am happy for him; I spoke about it internally, and before the game with Brazil. These are things that we are happy about as teammates.
"We are different, we are from different generations, and I am happy for the moment that he is experiencing in his club and in the national team."
Nunez ended last season with 15 goals in all competitions and has already bagged seven this term, as well as laying on six assists. He is also thriving on international duty, scoring in his last two games, with Suarez hailing new Uruguay boss Marcelo Bielsa for that form.
"I saw what the coach asks for, the physical consistency he demands, the football he proposes offensively, that we have players with whom I have already played with the majority and they have a dynamic, power and rhythm that they have been demonstrating in their teams," he said.
"With things that the coach taught them, they implemented it on the field and we saw a very good Uruguay offensively, demonstrating the quality they have and making differences in games, players like Darwin (Núñez), like Nico (De la Cruz) or Maxi (Araújo) who appeared.
"And that there were people who did not know him. I saw a very committed team, everyone knows what Pajarito (Valverde) represents for the national team and that speaks to what the new generation that is coming is."