The days of a big man up top appeared to be over, but these two transfers show that we may not be so sure, despite the vast technical improvement of the two men in question – when especially in comparison to a typical young ‘classic No.9’.
There’s no doubt that Pep Guardiola has secured a player’s signature with a far more excellent pedigree in the game, but that doesn’t mean Jurgen Klopp has made a bad signing.
Manchester United dropped their pursuit of the Reds new signing Darwin Nunez because they thought his price tag was too much
According to the Daily Mail, Manchester United were in the running to sign the Benfica forward but pulled out because they did not want to pay an overstated transfer fee.
This article compares two young talented forwards based on past club stats and playing style.
Erling Haaland Vs Darwin Nunez early life
Nunez and Haaland came from very different families; one spent his entire childhood in poverty, while the other was raised in an athletic family.
His mother was a longtime heptathlete, and his father, Alfie Haaland, was a Manchester City legend. As a result, it seemed inevitable that Haaland would advance his sporting career, which he did.
Darwin Nunez, the new Liverpool striker, had a very different childhood. He grew up in a low-income family; his mother sold milk bottles, and his father was a builder.
Nunez’s family had to make sacrifices for him to play football, and when Jose Perdomo, a former Uruguayan international, recognised him right away. Nunez rose quickly to prominence under him and left Uruguay for Montevideo.
When Benfica saw him, they spent a ton of money to sign him as one of their expensive players.
Darwin Nunez Vs Erling Haaland 2021/22 stats
Darwin NUnez. Photo: Getty Images
Both had different runs last season; Nunez burst onto the scene this season, while Haaland had a solid season with Dortmund.
Darwin Nunez had a strong 2021-22 season at Benfica. He has 47 goals in 84 games for Benfica, with 92 per cent of them coming from inside the box, which explains why he is such a threat in the opponent’s box.
Nunez’s 34 goals last season were scored every 81 minutes on average, with a shot conversion rate of 31.4 per cent to 17.6 per cent.
While he had the most touches in the opposing box for 90 minutes – 8.4, he had 1.2 fewer chances created per game.
Haaland did not have the best season by his high standards, scoring only 29 goals across all competitions.
He had a poor shot conversion rate of 27.3 last season, while his touches in the opposition box averaged 8.7, and his chance created this season was 0.8. and 0.5 dribbles per game
Darwin Nunez Vs Erling Haaland playing style
Erling Haaland, Darwin Nunez. Photo: SPORTbible
Darwin Nunez is tall and has poacher instincts, making him a striker. With his ball knowledge, he has a lot of experience in the box.
He is right-footed, with spectacular acceleration and body control. His experience makes quick decisions during games, and his explosive speed allows his teammates to feed him through balls.
Before making a move in the box, he also checks the field. The 22-year-old striker has a dynamic range of strength that allows him to carry counter-attacks and make exact moments in the opposition area. He can play as a false nine as well as on the wings.
Erling Haaland meets all of the requirements for the position of centre-forward. His massive stature is enough to frighten the defenders.
He is a skilled player who outsmarts opponents with his strength while also possessing an impressive turn of speed to come in behind during counter-attacks
Haaland is a good dribbler who regularly drops deep to help with build-ups, allowing defenders to lose sight of him and allowing him to sprint after playing long ball.
His rapid acceleration after being released makes it challenging for opponents to grab him.
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