Former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has dropped a concerning verdict on Darwin Nunez that could worry his former club and Manchester United as the pair go head-to-head ahead of what is expected to be a big move. The Uruguayan striker has been linked with a move to the Premier League over recent months after his goal-scoring displays in Portugal.
He has netted 28 goals in all competitions for Benfica this term, with the Gunners and Red Devils believed to be taking a close look at a potential deal. football.london understands that Arsenal are prioritising a move for a striker in the summer with both Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah both out of contract at the end of the season.
Meanwhile, Manchester United are thought to be eyeing a forward with the likes of Edinson Cavani, Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford all having uncertain futures at Old Trafford. Whilst the Premier League pair are chasing a move for Nunez, any move is not expected to be cheap, with Benfica thought to be demanding a minimum of €80m (£67m) for his services.
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Whilst there is plenty of interest in the striker’s signature, one person who is not too convinced on a move is ex-Arsenal tactician Wenger. Speaking after Benfica’s Champions League defeat to Liverpool - a game in which Nunez found the net - the Frenchman expressed concern about the forward’s ability to adapt to the Premier League from the top-flight of Portuguese football.
Talking to beIN SPORTS, he said: “We spoke about Nunez before the game. That’s where you realise the physical power in the Premier League. What looks very quick in the Portuguese league suddenly when he was confronted with the pace and power of Van Dijk or Konate, he couldn’t cope.”
Following the match, Nunez himself spoke and suggested that he is confident of his side earning a positive result at Anfield in the second leg. "Liverpool are a great team, but we are not afraid of them," Nunez said to CNN Portugal.
"We will work to get a good result in the second leg. I'm not happy that I scored, what I want here is to win titles, not score goals. I go home sad. Yes, we wanted more, but it was not possible. We are confident, this was demonstrated in the second half."
