23 June 2023 , 08:12
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Darwin Nunez has hailed fellow Uruguayan Luis Suarez as rumours that the star is set to retire gather pace.
Suarez, 36, joined Brazilian team Gremio in January, banging a hat trick on debut as he helped the club claim their state league title. However, the striker has also been troubled by a long term knee injury, leading to reports that he's set to call time on his colourful career.
Indeed, last month, club President Alberto Guerra outlined the struggles of his iconic forward, admitting: "Luis Suarez is reaching the limit, in order to be able to play he gives himself almost daily injections and special treatments, he is in constant pain. It is serious. Suarez has the possibility of being fitted with a prosthesis."
Nunez followed in the footsteps of his compatriot when he arrived at Anfield 12 months ago, for a deal potentially worth a club-record £85million. His fiery characteristics have inevitably drawn comparisons to Suarez, shown a red card on his home debut after head butting Crystal Palace's Joachim Andersen.
As of yet though, the 23-year-old has not hit the heights Suarez did on the field in Merseyside, managing just nine Premier League goals amid some inconsistent finishing. However, fans remain hopeful that there is more to come from the forward, who also scored four times in the Champions League.
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And the star showed a lighter side to his personality when he took part in a YouTube video with Shoot for Love, where the power and accuracy of his shooting was measured in a series of fun games. At the end of the footage, the hosts showed him an archived clip of Suarez, who scored 82 times for the Reds in 133 appearances, curling a football into a basketball net from distance.
Uruguay's Luis Suarez (R) celebrates with teammate Darwin Nunez after scoring a penalty against Colombia during their closed-door 2022 FIFA World Cup South American qualifier football match at the Metropolitan Stadium in Barranquilla, Colombia, on November 13, 2020. (Photo by Raul ARBOLEDA / AFP) (Photo by RAUL ARBOLEDA/AFP via Getty Images)HAVE YOUR SAY! Where does Luis Suarez rank among the all-time greats ? Comment below.
And Nunez admitted he had already seen the footage, saying: "I have seen the Luis Suarez video before.. My friend, Luis is an idol for me." After speaking he pounded his heart three times, in a pointed gesture towards his World Cup teammate.
Suarez has previously showed his support for Nunez, who endured a difficult start in the Premier League despite scoring in the opening day at Fulham. It took him until October to score his first Anfield goal, in a 1-0 win over West Ham.
And his 'idol' duly tweeted him to mark the goal, writing: "The first of many, scorer! Keep it up and enjoy an amazing stadium and atmosphere! #YNWA."