Former Liverpool forward Dirk Kuyt believes Darwin Nunez’s Anfield future remains in his own hands despite a disappointing season.
The Uruguay international has scored just seven times for the Reds and has earned both praise and rebuke from head coach Arne Slot for his efforts on the pitch.
Liverpool’s Premier League title charge has been propelled once again by Mohamed Salah, with 32 goals in all competitions, but his contract expires in June and with no sign of a resolution big changes could be ahead this summer.
• READ: Nunez admits international break is a chance to “forget” about Liverpool
Potential new strikers have already been linked, with speculation Nunez may be moved on, and Kuyt said that was the reality of playing for the club.
“I became friends with Pepe Reina and after the first season he congratulated me with the fact I was one year at Liverpool and said, ‘actually, every year you can stay at Liverpool it is a championship of your own’,” he told the PA news agency ahead of his appearance for the Liverpool Legends against Chelsea at Anfield on Saturday.
“Not only are the players who are there trying to kick you out of the team but every year there comes someone in your place.
“I played the first season with (Craig) Bellamy and (Peter) Crouch and I was the top goalscorer and thought, ‘I will be OK for next season’ and then the club signed Fernando Torres.
• READ: Liverpool title winner to make history as first woman to play for LFC Legends
“You always have to be at your best to stay at Liverpool and every player has to perform day in, day out, and you know if you are not performing another player will be ready to fill your place.
“If you know Arne Slot a little bit every day he will have tried to push Darwin to get the best out of him so he will never stop doing that and then the player decides himself whether he will play or not because he will have to perform.
“When you have a team-mate like Mo Salah – or in my time Fernando Torres – and these guys are making goalscoring so easy all the supporters want you to make as many goals as well.
“Darwin is pushing himself very hard, sometimes doing well and sometimes not scoring the goals he wanted himself, and that makes it difficult because the pressure is so big.”
:: Tickets are still available for the Legends game, which has raised more than £7.5million for the LFC Foundation from eight previous matches.
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