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Liverpool Echo

Darwin Nunez swap deal proposed that would see wanted £80million star join Liverpool

Liverpool have been urged to allow Darwin Nunez to leave the club this summer to secure a deal for a player who could soon become in-demand ahead of next season

Darwin Nunez of Liverpool
Didi Hamann has recommended Liverpool trade Darwin Nunez elsewhere this summer(Image: Andrew Powell/Getty Images)

Didi Hamann has suggested Liverpool could benefit use misfiring forward Darwin Nunez as a makeweight to sign Jamie Gittens this summer. And he doesn't believe such a swap with Borussia Dortmund is "that far-fetched."

Nunez was signed from Benfica nearly three years ago for an initial £64million but has had difficulty finding a stable form at Anfield. The Uruguay international has netted just seven goals in 42 games across all competitions this season and slipped down Arne Slot's pecking order.


On the other hand, Gittens has managed to score twelve times in 43 matches, despite also facing his own challenges maintaining consistent form. Yet Hamann thinks the 20-year-old - who is reportedly valued somewhere between £65million and £80million - would be a wise acquisition for his former club.


"One option that could work is Jamie Gittens and Darwin Nunez in a swap deal between Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund," the former Bayern Munich midfielder told InstantCasino. "Gittens started the season on fire and was almost carrying the team for the first three months of the season.

"Since the new manager arrived he has found things a bit hard and not started many games, because the new manager is looking for the hardest workers. He needed time to adapt but came off the bench and scored on Saturday, hopefully he will have an impact in the Champions League. But I would say that Gittens and Nunez in a swap deal is not that far fetched."

Any potential trade wouldn't be like-for-like as Nunez is primarily a centre forward, while Gittens shines on the left wing. However, this reshuffle could make sense given Diogo Jota is unlikely to lose his favoured central role in Slot's formation.

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Jamie Bynoe-Gittens of Borussia Dortmund celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD3 match between Real Madrid C.F. and Borussia Dortmund
Jamie Gittens has enjoyed a breakthrough campaign in Dortmund(Image: Denis Doyle)

Slot tends to play Cody Gakpo on the left, which might complicate any move for Gittens. The Dutch international has an impressive record this season with 16 goals and six assists in 42 games, just one strike away from setting a new personal best at Anfield.

Despite his hefty transfer fee, Nunez seems to have lost favour under Slot this season. The 25-year-old has only started one of Liverpool's last 14 Premier League matches and has gained a reputation for missing opportunities in front of goal.


Jurgen Klopp signed the South American as a promising talent in 2022, with the then-22-year-old showing great athleticism but rough edges in need of smoothening. Nearly three years later, Nunez still exhibits some of the same reckless traits that initially raised alarms.

That's not to say Nunez hasn't had his shining moments, such as his winners against RB Leipzig or Brentford, not to mention assisting Harvey Elliott's winner against PSG. But those glimpses are perhaps too few and far between to justify keeping such a valuable substitute.

Liverpool's Darwin Nunez appears dejected during the penalty shoot-out during the UEFA Champions League round of sixteen second leg match at Anfield
Nunez has looked wasteful in front of goal this term(Image: PA)
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On the other hand, Gittens appears to have found a new gear during a breakthrough season at the Westfalenstadion. The youngster had only scored five goals in 58 senior games before this season, but he has more than doubled that tally in a single term.

Gittens also adds value to any potential Liverpool transfer as he would contribute towards the club's homegrown quota. The Reading native spent some of his early years with the Royals before moving on to the academies of Chelsea and Manchester City, eventually leaving for Germany in 2020.

Both players are under contract with their current clubs until 2028, although Nunez might not align with Dortmund's typical player profile. However, this isn't the case for Gittens as Dortmund continues its trend of transforming lesser-known English talents into sought-after stars.

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