‘Mad fan of the guy’ – Ex-Arsenal man names Liverpool player he’d ‘love to see’ at the Emirates | OneFootball

A member of the Arsenal squad which won the Premier League title unbeaten 20 years ago has admitted with a touch of envy that there’s one Liverpool player in particular he’d ‘love to see’ in a Gunners shirt.

For a brief period during the summer transfer window, there were reports from Spain that Mikel Arteta’s side were planning a shock heist for Darwin Nunez, but as we know, nothing came of those wild rumours.

Nonetheless, Jeremie Aliadiere has waxed lyrical about the Reds’ number 9, who he believes is the kind of all-action centre-forward that the north London club are missing.

Aliadiere wishes Nunez was an Arsenal player

Speaking to Football365, the former Arsenal striker said: “I know he is at Liverpool but I am a massive fan of Darwin Nunez. Absolutely mad fan of the guy because I love his work ethic, his runs, his determination, and I wish we had a player like him at Arsenal.

“I remember in the summer there were some talks about him coming to Arsenal. That excited me because I’d love to see him with us. That type of player, keeps bothering defenders, making runs in behind, stretching the defence, even though it’s not for him, it’s for the team, the others get massive rewards from it.

“I know people will say he needs five chances to score sometimes, he is not the best finisher. I am not bothered about this. For me, the effort and the work rate and the drama that he causes is worth everything.”

(Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

How Nunez compares to Arsenal forwards this season

In a country where many pundits and media personalities can’t hammer Nunez quickly enough whenever he passes up chances to score, Aliadiere’s take on the Liverpool striker is refreshing.

Even the Uruguayan’s most ardent backers would admit that he could be more clinical, but to dismiss him on that basis alone would be to ignore the many other qualities that he brings to his team, and it’s those attributes that the former Arsenal man has highlighted.

Although the Gunners’ top scorer this season (Kai Havertz with seven goals) has more than double Nunez’s tally, their scoring ratios are not that dissimilar. Our number 9 has scored thrice in 702 minutes of game-time (one per 234 minutes), while the German has racked up his tally in 1,423 minutes (one per 203.3 minutes).

Bukayo Saka is the only other player at the Emirates to outscore the Liverpool striker this term, and the England winger has four goals in 1,177 minutes (one every 294.25 minutes), which somewhat puts the 25-year-old’s scoring return into context.

We can understand why Aliadiere would love to have the Reds marksman at Arsenal, but thankfully the Anfield hierarchy never countenanced selling him to a direct Premier League rival over the summer, a stance which must continue to be maintained.