Liverpool boss Slot lays down Nunez ultimatum after freezing out star | Football | Sport

Arne Slot has issued Darwin Nunez with an ultimatum following the striker’s poor start to the 2024/25 campaign.

The striker, who arrived as a club-record £85million signing two years ago, has failed to hit the heights expected of him since joining.

There had been a hope that Slot might’ve been able to get the most out of him at Liverpool, but that doesn’t appear to have been the case so far.

Nunez is yet to start a game for the Reds this term and has only been used off the bench by new boss Slot.

When quizzed on what Nunez has to do to get back into the XI ahead of Saturday’s Bournemouth clash, Slot replied: “He needs the same as all the others, work really hard and the goals will come.

“That’s what he did against [AC] Milan, he came in for the team and then as a result of that attackers have goals or assists. It happened with Cody [Gakpo] so if you play for a team like Liverpool you’ll get them [goals and assists].

“For me, it’s the work you do without the ball. He will get his chance in the near future, we play a lot of games, he is fitter and fitter and understands day by day what we want from him. But he’s in competition with Diogo [Jota] who has done well.”

Nunez was afforded 20 minutes on Tuesday night in Milan, with the Uruguayan predictably busy at the tip of attack, while also failing to leave a lasting impression on the contest.

The ex-Benfica star registered two shots during his cameo, just one of which went down as an effort on target.

By contrast, Gakpo did leave his mark on the game, with the Dutchman registering an assist at San Siro on his first start of the season.

On the impact his compatriot made after coming into the side, Slot commented: “His game might’ve come from anger [after being previously left out], but you don’t need anger to play in the best possible way.

“If you play every week or just once in a while, you have to give it your best. I think he benefits from two things, that is his own quality, we know how special of a player he is.

“And he benefits from the players around him and the team, the structure, the moments when he gets the ball. That made a great a performance, but the one [player] he’s in competition with had some great performances as well.”

This weekend’s clash against Bournemouth represents the perfect chance for Liverpool to remedy last weekend’s defeat at home to Nottingham Forest. The action gets underway from Anfield at 3pm on Saturday afternoon.