Why Southampton must beat off competition to sign Darwin Nunez
According to Diario de Almeria via Sport Witness (h/t Burnley Express), Southampton have expressed an interest in signing Almeria centre-forward Darwin Nunez.
However, the Saints face intense competition from derby rivals Brighton & Hove Albion, who have already lodged a £16m plus add-ons bid for the 21-year-old. (h/t Burnley Express)
Profile
Born in Artigas, Uruguay, Nunez began his footballing journey at the academy of La Luz and spent time with San Miguel de Artigas before joining Penarol. He made his senior debut for the Uruguayan giants in November 2017 at the age of 18. The striker went on to feature 22 times for the first-team, scoring four goals in the process. (h/t Transfermarkt)
Last summer saw Nunez make the jump from Uruguay to Spain, as he signed for La Liga 2 side UD Almeria. In his debut season with the Spanish second division side, the 21-year-old made a strong impression. This has now led to him attracting interest from the likes of Brighton and Southampton. (h/t Burnley Express)
Saints’ need to strengthen attacking department
Southampton, after a poor start to the 2019/20 season, recovered in the latter stages to achieve an 11th-place finish in the Premier League. They found the back of the net on 51 occasions in the Premier League, with 22 of those coming from Danny Ings. (h/t Transfermarkt)
Apart from the England international, manager Ralph Hasenhuttl can also call upon Che Adams, although he scored just four goals. Southampton also have Shane Long, while youngster Michael Obafemi has also shown a lot of potential. However, Long and Obafemi managed just five league goals in between them in the recently concluded season. (h/t Transfermarkt)
In addition, Obafemi has been heavily linked with an exit of late, while Long will soon turn 34 years old. Thus, bringing in another young and dynamic forward this summer would be a smart move by Southampton.
And in that regard, 21-year-old Nunez would prove to be a clever signing. The Uruguayan youngster enjoyed a fine debut season in Spain as he plundered 16 goals and 3 assists in 32 matches for Almeria. (h/t Transfermarkt)
Should he be able to carry forward this form, he would prove to be an upgrade on the current backup strikers at Hasenhuttl’s disposal at Southampton.
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Verdict
Southampton’s centre-forward slot lacks quality beyond Danny Ings. Che Adams had a difficult season, while Long is not getting any younger. Thus, signing an in-form, young forward like Nunez would reap great benefits for the Saints. Given his age, the Uruguayan would prove to be a long-term investment for the club.
