Arne Slot has denied that Darwin Nunez clashed with a member of Liverpool‘s coaching staff during training last week – which resulted in him being snubbed from the matchday squad that beat West Ham at Anfield.
The Uruguayan has not been a guaranteed starter throughout the campaign, but to not even make the 20-man squad that feature in a Premier League game was headline worthy. Nunez’s future has been very much under the spotlight as he continues to struggle for consistency.
There are rumours of a summer exit for the former Benfica man, who remains the club’s most expensive signing, but Slot insists he wasn’t overlooked for selection for reportedly having words with a member of the coaching staff – which resulted in him leaving a training session.
Nunez will travel to Leicester with Slot claiming he was simply “not feeling himself” last week. The Dutchman said: “He didn’t feel himself the day before the match, and he went inside and he wasn’t able to be part of the team the day after.”
The Liverpool manager was then asked if he had words with a staff member, to which Slot replied: “No, he didn’t. He did leave the pitch because he didn’t feel himself.”
Nunez has only started eight times in the Premier League, but has featured 42 times in all competitions. In that time he’s managed to return just seven goals with his finishing in front of goal still a major work on for the Uruguayan, who was called out by his manager after missing glorious chance against Aston Villa.
Slot has criticised Nunez for his work rate against Wolves and Villa in February. He said after the stalemate at Villa Park: “What was a bit harder for me to accept was his behaviour after that chance. I think it got too much in his head, where he wasn’t the usual Darwin that works his a** off and makes sure he helps the team.”
Nunez has been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia, which could prove lucrative for the Reds and helped them cut their losses should they choose to cash in. The Liverpool manager made few changes to the squad in his first summer at the helm but has confessed “new energy” would prove beneficial.
He said: “I think the core of the team you want to keep as long as you can together, as long as they are performing in the best possible way, but it is also in general good to have some new energy in and around the place with one or two players. That I agree on. But it isn’t really a necessity when you look at the quality we have and the quality of the season we have had.”
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