Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has made a telling comment during his recent pre-match press conference amid the club’s links with a Liverpool player.
According to football.london, there have been rumours of the Blues making a possible move for Darwin Nunez, who’s played just 28 minutes of the Reds’ first two games this season (WhoScored).
The west London club’s boss has since spoken out on one particular box that he wants any late summer signings to tick, making reference to some of the injured players in his squad at Stamford Bridge.
Pochettino said (via football.london): “If you bring in a player that is not fit or needs to adapt to the Premier League, maybe you are going to spend the same time you wait for [Armando] Broja, or [Christopher] Nkunku or Carney [Chukwuemeka].”
The Chelsea manager has basically said that any newcomers to the club before next Friday’s deadline need to have prior experience of the English top flight, so as to bypass a settling-in period.
Pochettino’s desire to add players with Premier League previous, allied with the rumours linking Nunez with the Blues, may have some Liverpool fans fretting that the Uruguayan could depart Anfield over the coming days.
Despite the 24-year-old enjoying a prolific pre-season (Sofascore), he’s found himself on the periphery since the start of the Premier League campaign, while he also found starts difficult to come by during the latter weeks of 2022/23 (Transfermarkt).
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Even with Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson arriving at Stamford Bridge this summer, Chelsea’s long-time yearning for a truly reliable centre-forward may see them push for the Reds attacker, with the added incentive of weakening a direct domestic rival in the process.
That is why Liverpool simply can’t countenance selling Nunez to Pochettino’s side, particularly when squad rotation will be crucial this term once the Europa League group stage commences.
The £140,000-per-week striker (Capology) showed during pre-season that he can be lethal in front of goal, so it’d be absolute madness to let him depart so late in the transfer window. Thankfully, we can’t see the Blues prising him from our clutches between now and next Friday.
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That could be myopism for Liverpool if they cannot add at least two players a midfielder and a defender to be precise. The principle of once beaten twice shy should be in Liverpool ‘s mind. Konate’ s doubtfulness against New C stle is a wake-up call which needs reaction.
Pay the 70 mill for Cheick or Hincapie and be done with it. If Chelsea want Nunez, tell them it is going to cost 115 mill plus Colwell. Let’s see how deep their pockets and their resolve is. That way we also add Schuurs and strengthen our midfield.