Should Tottenham gamble on 12G/A Liverpool outcast? – Opinion

Since moving to Anfield Stadium in a high-profile transfer, I think Nunez has become more of a frustrating figure at Liverpool given his inconsistencies in front of goal.

But then when you look at his numbers, his numbers of 7 goals and 5 assists in all competitions last season, it suggests that he has been far from blatant poor, but then the numbers won’t tell us the whole story.

To start with, there has been a pattern with the ones that start with erratic finishing and soon turn into questionable decision-making in the final third. And there is this general sense of emotional volatility in high-stakes moments. And then yet when he is on his strides, Nunez is devastating given his ability to stretch defences and bring that sense of chaos which ends up unbalancing structured blocks and his raw speed and aggression which gives the Lilywhites a vertical outlet few Premier League strikers can match.

But then how does Darwin Nunez fit under Thomas Frank?

If we are speaking about the former Benfica man under Thomas Frank’s tutelage, the Dane head coach is expected to adopt a fluid 3-5-2 or 4-3-3 structure where there is a heavy focus on pressing traps whilst deploying vertical transitions and exploiting channels, much like what his Brentford did. But then If we are speaking on paper, Nunez can tick a lot of boxes. To start with, he has that ability to stretch defences, given how he is an aggressive runner and ends up suiting the vertical game that Thomas Frank would want to deploy.

Moreover Nunez is a hard worker; he presses quite actively and is ideal for a system that requires high engagement from players off the ball. And then in games where structure is not reaping rewards, he can manufacture moments from little (something Tottenham have lacked every time Son has been off form).

But that being said, he has very low tactical discipline, and then Frank’s system thrives on coordination and patterns, and then if you put in his unpredictable movement and tendency to drift wide, it can end up disrupting the build-up timings at N17.

And given how the North Londoners have already been struggling with converting high xG chances in front of goal, his erratic finishing would really help.

Nunez gives you maybe the highest physical ceiling when directly compared to the probable central forwards at Hotspur Way, but then he has the lowest football IQ among them. And that would be a concern for the Dane head coach who is reliant on structure and quick decisions in tight pockets.

Is the risk to sign Nunez justified?

I think that if Liverpool are willing to sanction a loan with an option to buy, then you mitigate the risk to an extent because it will give the chiefs at N17 that time and space to observe whether Nunez can polish his edges under Thomas Frank, and if he fails, then you’ve at least not committed a whole lot of fees to it.

And if he ends up succeeding, Tottenham have the capacity to take up the option to get him on a permanent basis.

In a summer where transfer fees are inflated, especially when it comes to elite striking options, taking a chance on someone who is as talented as Nunez might be the market inefficiency Levy can exploit like he often does.