Gary Neville Warns Selling Darwin Nunez Could Jeopardise Liverpool's Title Aspirations

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Liverpool's decision to retain or sell Darwin Nunez could significantly impact their title aspirations, according to Gary Neville. The former Premier League champion believes that letting go of the striker might jeopardise Liverpool's chances. Currently, Arne Slot's team leads Arsenal by four points and has a game in hand before facing Brentford this weekend.

Nunez has been linked with a January move, having scored only two league goals this season and started just seven matches. Despite interest from Al-Hilal in the Saudi Pro League, Liverpool reportedly rejected their approach. Neville suggests holding onto Nunez until summer to avoid risking the league title.

"If I'm the owner, I'm saying to the sporting director and coach that we need to accept that offer," Neville stated. "But would it cost us the league? The coach can sit there quite relaxed but the sporting director will think he wants to take that money. Does that leave Arne Slot short? I would keep him. I would keep him until the end of the season because I wouldn't want to risk the league. He is streaky and he can go on a run of goals."

Last season, Nunez netted 18 goals for Liverpool and filled in during injury spells among their forwards. Jamie Carragher, another former defender and pundit on The Overlap podcast with Neville, highlighted concerns about Liverpool's attacking depth due to Diogo Jota's injury history.

"The conundrum is Liverpool have [Diogo] Jota as another option up front but he's very injury-prone so you could leave yourself a bit short," Carragher noted. "If you're sure that bid is still going to be there in the summer you probably keep him [in January] but if you're not sure that money will still be there this summer, it's a lot of money. I would take the risk of selling him."

Adapting Under New Management

Nunez's performance under Jurgen Klopp was satisfactory due to his speed and frequent shots in a fast-paced style. However, Arne Slot's more measured approach seems less suited for Nunez's playstyle. Carragher believes selling Nunez for £70 million would be wise business if Liverpool can secure such an offer.

"Under Jurgen Klopp he was alright, it wasn't great but it was OK because of that mad football, he would use his pace and have loads of shots," Carragher explained. "It's a bit more slow and measured [under Arne Slot] and he's almost just standing there, it's not ideal for him."

The decision regarding Nunez remains crucial for Liverpool as they balance financial considerations with their pursuit of success on the pitch this season.