Liverpool forward Darwin Nunez has hit out at Arne Slot in a deleted social media post responding to the head coach’s comments on Friday.
The Reds have surpassed expectations this season as they are on the brink of winning their 20th Premier League title, with a draw against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday enough to get them over the line.
Slot has done a great job seamlessly replacing beloved former boss Jurgen Klopp, but he has not got the best out of Nunez, who looks increasingly likely to leave Liverpool this summer.
After Klopp ignored a ‘data warning’ to push through his £64m move from Benfica, Nunez proved a huge flop at Anfield.
Nunez has barely featured under Slot and has largely flattered to deceive, but he impressed from the start in last month’s 3-1 win vs Southampton, grabbing a goal and an assist.
Despite this, the Uruguay international has not started any of Liverpool’s subsequent four Premier League games, with a report in Portugal this week claiming the club will have to pay Benfica a further €5m if he starts 60 games for the Reds. He is just one start away from triggering this alleged clause.
Slot was asked about this supposed clause during his press conference on Friday.
“Do you always believe what the journalists say? Not always? Me neither,” Slot said on the reported clause.
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“Sometimes it’s true, but sometimes it’s better not to believe everything that is written about players. It’s completely new to me.
“I’ve said many times that I am working at a club where it is really nice to work at. For me, it’s very important to have a great working environment and I have that with Richard [Hughes, the Liverpool sporting director].
“So the last, last, last thing that he will do is tell me if you play him, it will cost us this much. That he will never, never do. I don’t know if it’s true or not, because we never talk about that. He never interferes with the line-up.
“It might be true, but if a journalist says it, you have to balance.”
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Now, Nunez’s frustrations have become clear in a deleted social media post as he hit out at Slot’s decision-making.
“No wonder I didn’t play more, because the last time in the Premier League went well and suddenly…” Nunez posted to X in a deleted post.
Last month, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano confirmed Nunez is “expected to leave” Liverpool this summer after he missed out on a move to the Saudi Pro League in January.
“I was telling you earlier this week that there is a chance for Luis Diaz to leave Liverpool in the summer transfer window,” Romano said.
“My information remains that Darwin Nunez is expected to leave the club in the summer, [but] for Diaz it’s not guaranteed but it is a possibility.
“It’s something that is being discussed already because there was some interest from Saudi and Diaz decided to stay at the club.”
