Who is Darwin Nunez? The Benfica hitman to complete Arsenal's attack

Arsenal are aware that a new striker is high on the priority list in the summer. The departure of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for Barcelona in January, coupled with the expiring deals of both Eddie Nketiah and Alexandre Lacazette, though the latter may yet extend his stay in north London, means the Gunners run the risk of a return to European football without a top quality forward on the books. 

They sought to rectify this issue at the turn of the year as they outlined their intention to secure the services of Dusan Vlahovic, only to be left frustrated in their pursuit of the Serb who elected to swap Fiorentina for rivals Juventus, much to the rage of the Viola. Between now and the end of the season, Arsenal have just Lacazette and Nketiah to rely upon to lead the charge, while Gabriel Martinelli can play the role if need be. 

Yet Arsenal are expected to delve into the market once the window opens with Benfica's Darwin Nunez rumoured to be high on the club's wishlist. The Uruguayan may not have the same star name power as Vlahovic or Erling Haaland, but that shouldn't mean Arsenal fans look down upon the striker's exploits. 

The 22-year-old currently leads the Liga Bwin goalscoring charts with 20 goals to his name, at least five more than any other player in the division. Of those 20, 17 have been from open play, with the other three coming from the spot. For an Arsenal side that ranks fourth for key passes from open play (287) in the Premier League this season, it could prove a match made in heaven for both player and club. 

"He puts the ball in the net, that’s priority number one," Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said when asked what he wants from his main striker earlier this month. Of the 20 league goals Nunez has scored this season, 15 have been deemed clear-cut. Create the chances, and the goals will come. 

That's not to say Nunez is just an out-and-out centre forward only. He is an effective target man, but an ability to play out wide and a willingness to pull to the flanks means he is able to open up space for teammates to exploit. The players who operate behind the striker in Arteta's favoured 4-2-3-1 setup - three of Martinelli, Martin Odegaard, Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka - are Arsenal's top scorers in the Premier League this season, with the English pair netting nine apiece and the other two scoring five each. 

There's a fair share of goals spread among the attacking players, but a lack of goal threat from the main centre forward. Aubameyang scored just four league goals prior to his move to Barcelona at the turn of the year, while Lacazette only scored his fourth league goal of 2021/22 in the win over Leicester earlier this month. 

Throw in a natural goalscorer in the form of Nunez, who boasts a statistically calculated WhoScored strength of 'finishing', and the 22-year-old could well be the final piece of Arsenal's exciting attacking puzzle. In addition, like Lacazette does so well, Nunez is able to bring others into play to knit together the attack. Lacazette has registered more assists (7) than any Arsenal player in the Premier League this season, those coming from an average of 1.6 key passes per 90. 

Nunez's assist return may not look great on paper - the youngster has provided just two assists for Benfica this season, and both of those came in a 6-1 win over Braga in November - yet that is down to his teammates' profligacy more than anything else. Indeed, Nunez is making 1.4 key passes per 90, that the fifth best of all Benfica players in Liga Bwin this season. Imagine the number of assists he'd have to his name with the support Lacazette boasts... 

However, the key detail is Nunez's ability to put the ball in the back of the net, which he does with aplomb. Of the 70 players to muster 25 or more shots in Liga Bwin this season, Nunez has far and away the best conversion rate (32.3%) in the division. Benfica's average of 11.7 key passes per game is the second best in Portugal's top tier, so it is not as though the Eagles are sporadically creating chances, but rather Nunez's ruthlessness in front of goal means he knows when to pick his spot when the opportunity presents itself. 

By comparison, admittedly in a different league, Lacazette has returned a conversion rate of just 9.8% for Arsenal in the Premier League this season, so it's clear where the Gunners need to strengthen this summer, even before taking into account the expiring contracts of the clubs' only registered strikers. 

And it's not only Nunez's prolificacy that has caught his eye, but also the unpredictability when he has the opportunity to go for goal. 19 of his 20 league goals have come from inside the box, but crucially is that he is able to score any type of goal. 12 of those goals have come with his right foot, while four have been scored with his left foot and his head; no player has scored more with the latter body part in Liga Bwin. Furthermore, he is one of only four players to have scored multiple goals with the three body parts in 2021/22. 

Arsenal are believed to be on the charm offensive to land Nunez, who has really upped his game following a so-so 2020/21 campaign, and to do so for a Benfica side that is off the pace in Liga Bwin this term speaks volumes of his development. Arteta has asked fans to trust the process and with the Gunners leading the way to join Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea in finishing in the top four, Nunez could prove a signing that sees that process take a huge step in the right direction.