Exclusive: Emile Heskey On The Outlook For Darwin Nunez At Liverpool, Mohamed Salah & More

Darwin Nunez has attracted interest from the Saudi Pro League in the January transfer window with Liverpool reportedly rejecting a £70m bid for the forward from Al-Hilal
IMAGO / Action Plus

Darwin Nunez has been in the news for the past few days with interest ramping up for the Liverpool forward as he faces an uncertain future at Anfield in the January transfer window.

READ MORE: Liverpool Turn Down £70m Bid For Darwin Nunez From Saudi Pro League Side Al-Hilal

Liverpool's substitute Darwin Nunez on the bench before the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Manchester United.
Liverpool's substitute Darwin Nunez on the bench before the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Manchester United. / IMAGO / Propaganda Photo

Nunez, who is wildly adored by the Reds fans has failed to consistently find the back of the net as well as failing to nail down a starting berth under Arne Slot since the Dutchman replaced Jurgen Klopp in the summer.

The 25-year-old has contributed just four goals and four assists in 26 appearances for the Premier League leaders across all competitions this term. Saudi Pro League giants Al-Hilal have expressed interest in signing Nunez this month.

Liverpool rejected a verbal offer in the region of £70million for Nunez from Al-Hilal as the Reds value the Uruguay international closer to the £85million mark. 

READ MORE: Liverpool In Germany To Seal Transfer Of Forward Stefanos Tzimas From FC Nurnberg

Speaking exclusively to LFC Transfer Room, courtesy of Instant Casino, former Liverpool forward Emile Heskey weighs in on the future of Nunez and who should the club target as his replacement should he leave Anfield. 

Darwin Nunez
IMAGO / Propaganda Photo

Heskey also spoke about Mohamed Salah's legacy at Liverpool and his stand among the club's greatest players to ever wear a Liverpool shirt.

Darwin Nunez joined Liverpool for a record transfer fee in 2022, echoing the significant investment the club made when you joined back in 2000. However, despite his potential, he has faced challenges in securing a consistent starting spot under manager Arne Slot. Given this, do you believe Núñez has a long-term future at Anfield?

Emile Heskey: "I think we've just gotta be realistic with his future. I think he'll be a number 2 and he'll be a backup striker. I doubt he wanna do that. So, at some stage, he'll have to address that. But at this moment in time, with the numbers that, he's putting up, the manager will probably want a little bit more from him. Not in the sense of his actual work rate and his tenacity, but just more for his goals and his composure when finishing."

When a player makes a big move, how long should they be given to settle in before their future is questioned?

READ MORE:Liverpool Consider Offering Forward In Swap Deal For Bournemouth Winger Antoine Semenyo

Emile Heskey: "You play for 12 months to settle in and, start getting to the form that we we know that he can do. If you're looking at, arguably, some of the best in the Premier League, Thierry Henry, and Patrick Vieira, probably took about 12 months. And they're the best you know, when you're thinking about the Premier League. They're the best to do it. So I would say 12 months, any longer than that, it's difficult for the club to keep faith in that sense."

Darwin Nunez
IMAGO / Propaganda Photo

At what point does a club’s support for a player shift from helping them adapt to realizing that the move may not be the right fit?

Emile Heskey: "Well, I don't know. To be honest with you, again, it's when you say is it not the right fit, if you got someone else there, this is why you have competition because it pushes each other on. If it's not the fit, then the other one becomes a backup. And that's why I was saying does he now become the backup for a main striker? And then become that person who's gonna give that backup striker pressure to perform week in and week out."

Nunez has recently been linked with a move to several clubs, including AC Milan. If he were to leave, which striker do you think Liverpool should target as his replacement?

Emile Heskey: "I'm trying to think of one that's in the Premier League right now. But the only one that you could kinda look at in the Premier League would be Alexander Isak, but that would be too expensive right now. They're probably talking over £100million for someone like that who's in the form of his life. Apart from that you'd have to go into Germany and places like that to really look at some strikers who could contribute."

READ MORELiverpool Commence Transfer Talks With FC Nürnberg Over Striker Stefanos Tzimas - Price Revealed

Darwin Nunez
IMAGO / News Images

"Because again, when you're talking we've got arguably one of the best forwards, in the world at this moment in time in Mohamed Salah giving you numbers. Giving you consistent numbers week in and week out so you just need unique. You need enough, you need left-wingers who's gonna contribute and you need a striker that's gonna contribute. So at this moment time, you don't say Isak is the one that could possibly do that, but everyone's after."

During your time at Liverpool, you formed a highly successful strike partnership with Michael Owen. Now that both of you are retired, would you be willing to share the secret to your on-field chemistry?

Emile Heskey: "You know, it was not a strange one. I think we just understood football and we understood each other's game. So we actually played together for the first time in England U-18s. So, even back then we formed a partnership that had a real good understanding of what each other wants. So then it was about getting on the pitch and performing in that way. And we just balanced each other out. I was tall. I was aggressive. I could run with the ball. Michael was nippy, nimble, really good finisher.

Emile Heskey
IMAGO / Sportimage

"So we actually balanced each other out, and it worked like opposites attract. So I think that was the main thing. It was more on-field than off-field and on-field and in training as well because we worked some things in training as well."

Lastly, considering Mohamed Salah’s remarkable goalscoring record over the past eight years, do you think he’s the greatest player to ever wear a Liverpool shirt?

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah reacts as Manchester United score a late equalizing goal.
Liverpool's Mohamed Salah reacts as Manchester United score a late equalizing goal during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Manchester United FC at Anfield. / IMAGO / Propaganda Photo

Emile Heskey: "Possibly. Yeah. Possibly. For what he's done, for how he's brought the club together, how he's brought the fans together as well. I think he is. I know what in the manner that he's done it as well, he's very quiet. He just goes about his business. You don't hear too much about him. And I love that about him. So, yeah, I'll probably argue to say that he is that if he breaks a lot of the records."

READ MORELiverpool Star Set To Join Scottish Premiership Side Kilmarnock On Loan For Rest Of Season


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Joseph Agbobli
JOSEPH AGBOBLI

LFC Transfer Room Football Correspondent. Covered the fortunes of Liverpool for the past three years. Follow Joseph on X (formerly Twitter) @joseph_agbobli