Former France international Marcel Desailly believes Chelsea could find a solution to their attacking needs by pursuing a move for Darwin Núñez. The 26-year-old currently plays for Al-Hilal, having previously featured for Liverpool.
Desailly suggests Núñez, despite a challenging start to his career in the Premier League, still possesses significant potential. He told FootItalia: “I would actually recommend Nunez for Chelsea. He’s a very fine player, a smart player – he just needs the right environment to perform. When Liverpool identified his potential they knew what they had statistically.”
Núñez’s time at Liverpool was marked by a struggle to consistently find the back of the net, impacting his confidence. Desailly drew parallels to other high-profile players who struggled upon arriving at new clubs, stating, “But when you start on a bad note, the confidence disappears and the consideration from those around you follows. It’s like Dennis Bergkamp going to Inter Milan – things went completely wrong. Or Roberto Carlos in his early days, shooting the ball into the stands. The confidence wasn’t there. That’s what happened to Nunez at Liverpool.”
But, Desailly remains convinced of Núñez’s quality, pointing to his recent form with Al-Hilal where he has scored around six goals in 16 matches. “But the quality is still there. He’s at Al-Hilal now and has scored around six goals in 16 matches – not bad at all.”
The former Chelsea defender believes Núñez is eager to return to European football, indicating that factors beyond finances are driving his ambitions. “I’m pleased to see him wanting to come back to European football – it shows money isn’t everything.”
Desailly specifically highlighted Chelsea, or a revitalized Manchester United, as ideal destinations for Núñez, emphasizing the importance of a supportive environment. “A club like Chelsea, or the new Manchester United, would be best for him. He needs to be surrounded by established, confident players who know they’re going to play every weekend and who will give him the ball on the first intention.”
He pinpointed the need for immediate service to unlock Núñez’s potential, drawing a comparison to Frank Lampard’s playing style. “That’s the small detail – when he makes a run, he needs to get the ball immediately. Otherwise he loses confidence quickly. We had something similar with Frank Lampard – magnificent player, but sometimes he would look for another option instead of playing the ball first-time to the striker. You could see the strikers losing their rhythm. Nunez needs that immediate ball.”
Desailly concluded by reiterating Núñez’s quality and suitability for a top European club, noting, “But he’s a quality player and he’s still young enough.” A move for Núñez could potentially address Chelsea’s ongoing search for a consistent goalscorer and add another dimension to their attack.
