Liverpool believe that Darwin Nunez has all the qualities to become a 30 goal a season striker.

Nunez has polarised opinion since arriving at Anfield from Benfica in 2022. However, one thing everyone can agree on is that the 24-year-old has all the raw materials to be a top player. Whether he's expected to put it all together or not depends on who you speak to.

But, according to journalist Neil Jones, if you speak to Liverpool about Nunez, you'll get a very firm answer indeed. Writing in the Daily Briefing today, Jones outlined exactly why the Reds bought Darwin in the first place and what they're still expecting from him.

"Nunez's attributes are vast. He is lightning quick, good in the air, strong and has fantastic movement in and around the penalty area," explained the journalist.

"I know that his ability to find and manufacture space in the final third, and to get himself into scoring positions, was one of the key reasons the Reds wanted to buy him from Benfica, as opposed to other attacking players that were looked at.

"They believe he has the instinct, and the technical tools, to be a 30 goal a season striker."

Liverpool backing Nunez for lift-off Ever since he joined Liverpool, it's been parroted time and time again that Nunez is simply a ticking time bomb waiting to explode - in a good way.

After a bubbling under season in his debut campaign, Darwin has indeed taken things up another notch in 2023/24.

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With seven goals already, there is still a possibility that the Uruguayan can hit that 30 goal mark this season.

But as we saw on Sunday against Luton Town, there are still significant flaws to Nunez's game. At times he himself is the only thing getting in the way of scoring 30 or even 40 goals per season.

The miss at Luton was perhaps the worst one - although the open goal against Toulouse at Anfield runs it close.

There was also a pretty straightforward headed opportunity missed in-front of the Kop against Aston Villa, with another from inside the six-yard box against Union Saint-Gilloise. As Dean Ashton said this week, these misses have at times made Nunez a figure of fun for opposition supporters.

It is good news that Darwin is finding himself in these positions very often indeed, though. If he keeps doing so and refines his finishing, he'll easily bag 30 year after year. But refine his finishing he must, otherwise he'll never quite justify Liverpool paying big money for him 18 months ago.