Jurgen Klopp pleads for patience over faltering Darwin Nunez, as he admits the £85m summer signing is ‘still adapting’ to Liverpool – but insists the Uruguayan ‘isn’t worrying’ about his slow start
- Darwin Nunez has struggled since his high-profile move from Benfica in summer
- Jurgen Klopp defended the forward saying it is going to take time to click
- The forward is ‘still adapting’ to his new club, his manager insisted this week
Jurgen Klopp has urged patience over high-profile summer signing Darwin Nunez, claiming the Uruguayan is ‘still adapting’ to life at Liverpool.
Nunez, 23, joined Liverpool from Benfica this summer in a £85m move but has so far found it difficult to settle with an early-season red card and the side’s poor general form contributing to his distinct lack of progress.
However, his manager seemed unperturbed by his struggles. Speaking to the press ahead of Liverpool’s crucial Champions League group stage tie at home to Rangers, Klopp defended the player amid mounting criticism.
Darwin Nunez has found it hard to adapt to life at Liverpool so far in his short time in England
He said: ‘Of course he’s still adapting. Our players always adapt. New players come in and everybody talks about them and wants them to shine immediately, that happens from time to time and sometimes not.’
Klopp revealed that on Sunday he, his assistant Pep Lijnders and Nunez himself had a conversation in which they told him, amongst other things, that it was important he did not begin to ‘worry’ about his slow start to life in England.
‘Only yesterday, we had a long talk, with Pep Lijnders, because my Spanish or Portuguese is still not better. We just told him: we are completely calm so it’s really important in our situation that he’s not worrying. He’s not looking like he’s worrying or whatever.
Jurgen Klopp admitted the player’s headbutting of Joachim Andersen and subsequent red card did not help him
‘[The reason] why he didn’t start this game [against Brighton] was he came from international and he had doms in the hamstrings and when you get this information from the medical team, they give some kind of minutes of how long he’s allowed to play. Don’t start anybody who’s only allowed to play 20 minutes or 15.’
Klopp went on to admit that the three game suspension incurred after he head-butted Crystal Palace defender Joachim Andersen in August did not help him.
‘Of course, the three game suspension didn’t help him to settle, that’s clear,’ he said. ‘But that’s pretty much all. The team is not flying, that [doesn’t make it] easier for a striker, especially a finisher.
‘We create chances, but it’s not as if everything is clicking and we just put one player in and he finishes our situations off. That’s not our situation at the moment as much as I wish it would be and that’s all.’
Nunez so far has one goal this season for his new club, which came on the first weekend of the season against Fulham.
Klopp said that they are not worried about Nunez’s current form and urged him to not panic either
