Liverpool signing Núñez is Portugal’s Player of the Season - Clearly ahead of everyone else

Transfermarkt users have voted Darwin Núñez the player of the 2021/22 season in the Portuguese top tier after a brilliant year. The 23-year-old Uruguayan was the community’s clear favourite and towers above the competition by a wide margin. Núñez scored an impressive 26 goals and contributed four assists in 28 league games for Benfica. As a result of his strong form, the top scorer crowned his great campaign with a €75 million move to Liverpool.

Núñez, who stated during his presentation that his style of play would suit the Reds well, came out on top in the TM voting with 64.8%, well ahead of Sporting loan player Pablo Sarabia (5.2%) and Porto’s Mehdi Taremi (5.0%). Behind them in fourth and fifth place sit Otávio (4.6%) and Vitinha (2.9%), who also made an impression in the Porto shirt last season. Midfielder Vitinha was signed by PSG for €41.5 million afterwards – only nine new players have been more expensive in the French club’s history.

Winner Núñez, who wears the number 27 shirt at Liverpool, increased his market value from €10 million to €55 million since his arrival at Benfica in 2020. The right-footed striker has made eleven appearances for his country’s national team, scoring two goals. During Liverpool’s Premier League opener against Fulham (2-2), the new signing came on in the 51st minute and scored the Reds’ first goal before assisting Salah’s second on his debut in the English top tier.

Liverpool and Núñez on fire - First trophy after victory over Man City

There was already something to celebrate before the start of the new Premier League season: the centre-forward won his first trophy with Liverpool thanks to a 3-1 victory over long-time rivals Manchester City in the Community Shield. Núñez scored the final goal in injury time and was partly responsible for the Reds’ first title in the 2022/23 season.