Darwin Nunez was sold by Liverpool to Al Hilal in the summer transfer window, with the striker being retained by Alex Grimaldo.
Bayer Leverkusen’s Alex Grimaldo has expressed confusion at the criticism of Darwin Nunez’s tenure at Liverpool. The forward was released to Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal during a busy summer transfer window, with the Reds raking in more than £250m from players deemed to meet their requirements.
Liverpool welcomed high-profile signings such as Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike, Giovanni Leoni, Milos Kerkes and Jeremy Frimpong, while the sale of Nunez contributed to a record £455m spend. Reds supporters have been rooting for the Uruguayan to succeed at the club, and the striker penned a heartfelt farewell note after learning of the move.
Despite captivating fans with his dedication and personality, Nunez’s track record on Merseyside suggests his move was a unique failure in Fenway Sports Group’s illustrious recruiting history.
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Nearly £80 million was spent on the Benfica star when considering add-ons. For many, he remains a beloved figure at Anfield, even though his move never came to fruition.
The forward has so far scored four goals in seven appearances for Al Hilal, with the team currently in third place in the Saudi Professional League after six games.
And Grimaldo, who played alongside Nunez at Benfica, defended his former colleague, expressing his belief that the 26-year-old would have been a perfect fit for the Premier League.
“When he went to Liverpool, I thought he was perfect for the Premier League, this type of player and above all for Liverpool,” he told After De Post United, via El Universo.
“He was a very fast, very powerful striker with a lot of goals and a good shot.
“I think he has scored a lot of goals and played a lot…I don’t understand the criticism.
“It always happens that when a very high price is set they ask for double or triple, but it’s not the player’s fault because the player has nothing to do with the price. It’s a matter between clubs.”
“So you end up going to a team like Liverpool, where there is pressure and a lot is asked of you.
“There’s always going to be criticism, but I think he scored a lot of goals and provided a lot of assists for Liverpool anyway.”
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