Liverpool boss Arne Slot has reached out to Darwin Nunez to inform the Uruguayan striker that he is a key part of his plans for the Reds’ new era, according to the Mirror.
Slot is aware that the £85 million forward struggled under Jurgen Klopp last season, particularly after being asked to fill the significant void left by the German’s departure from Anfield.
One of Slot’s first actions upon arriving at Merseyside was to contact Nunez during his preparations for the Copa America, assuring him that he sees him as a crucial player in his vision for Liverpool.
The 25-year-old’s relentless work rate will be vital to Slot’s strategy of pressing from the front.
Nunez was pleased to hear that his new head coach values his contributions to the team.
He has been given time off to recover from a challenging Copa America, which ended with him clashing with Colombian fans after a disappointing semi-final defeat.
With Diogo Jota now in the United States for Liverpool’s pre-season tour, having been given time to rest after his Euros campaign with Portugal, Slot is ready to intensify his tactical plans.
He will instruct his frontline to trigger the team’s pressing game.
One senior player humorously described the Dutchman as “a madman” after being told to put in extra effort during the U.S. tour.
Slot has also been showing his team video footage of Manchester City and his former club Feyenoord to illustrate how to force opponents into mistakes.
Liverpool have yet to enter the transfer market since Slot’s appointment, but the 45-year-old is content to wait until a player who fits his system becomes available.
Slot earned a reputation in the Netherlands for achieving results on modest budgets, which was a major factor in Liverpool’s decision to bring him in from Feyenoord.
In six seasons as a manager with Cambuur, AZ Alkmaar, and Feyenoord, Slot never spent more than £7 million on a single transfer.
Instead, he focused on developing the talent he inherited, consistently securing better league positions than his predecessors.
In his first full season as a coach, he led Cambuur close to promotion to the Eredivisie before moving to AZ as an assistant coach.
When he took over from John van den Brom in 2019, he orchestrated a surprising title challenge, with the club competing at the top of the table with Erik ten Hag’s Ajax before the season was canceled due to the pandemic.
During Slot’s tenure, Alkmaar also made nearly £50 million through player sales.
At Feyenoord, Slot continued his pattern of rebuilding.
Despite having only a £6 million budget and seeing 16 players sold or released upon his arrival, he guided the team to the Conference League Final, where Jose Mourinho’s Roma emerged victorious.
The following season, another 15 players were sold, raising £70 million.
Although half of this money was designated for new signings, Slot included six academy players in the squad that won the Eredivisie title.
Last season, even with another major rebuild and more player sales, Feyenoord still claimed the Dutch Cup.
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