Sign Darwin! Chelsea told Nunez could be another Dennis Bergkamp as Blues legend talks up transfer for ex-Liverpool forward

Former Netherlands international Bergkamp struggled to produce his best in Italy with Inter, but became a club legend with the Gunners after heading to north London in 1995. He formed part of the fabled title-winning ‘Invincibles’ squad in 2003-04.

Nunez already has a top-flight crown in England to his name, having helped Liverpool to restore domestic dominance in 2024-25. He headed to the Saudi Pro League with Al-Hilal after registering 40 goals through 143 appearances for the Reds.

Consistency proved to be an issue throughout his spell on Merseyside, following a £64 million ($86m) move from Benfica, but another change of scenery is being planned after slipping down the pecking order on a Middle Eastern adventure.

Ex-France international Desailly believes that Chelsea should be in the market for a 26-year-old that still boasts plenty of potential, telling FootItalia: "I would actually recommend Nunez for Chelsea. He’s a very good player, a smart player – he just needs the right environment to perform. When Liverpool identified his potential they knew what they had statistically. 

"But when you start on a bad note, the confidence disappears and the consideration from those around you follows. It’s like Dennis Bergkamp going to Inter Milan – things went completely wrong. Or Roberto Carlos in his early days, shooting the ball into the stands. The confidence wasn’t there. That’s what happened to Nunez at Liverpool. But the quality is still there. He’s at Al-Hilal now and has scored around six goals in 16 matches – not bad at all."

"I’m pleased to see him wanting to come back to European football – it shows money isn’t everything. A club like Chelsea, or the new Manchester United, would be best for him. He needs to be surrounded by established, confident players who know they’re going to play every weekend and who will give him the ball on the first intention. That’s the small detail – when he makes a run, he needs to get the ball immediately. Otherwise he loses confidence quickly. 

"We had something similar with Frank Lampard – magnificent player, but sometimes he would look for another option instead of playing the ball first-time to the striker. You could see the strikers losing their rhythm. Nunez needs that immediate ball. But he’s a quality player and he’s still young enough."

Darwin could star for Chelsea if he has the likes of Cole Palmer providing ammunition. The England international has seen a return to his Manchester roots at United speculated on. Desailly admits that the 23-year-old playmaker has some big decisions to make on his future.

The Frenchman added: "Chelsea will qualify for the Champions League. But even if not – fans are educated differently now. It’s about the club, not any one player. Chelsea have the potential to perform without Palmer. He has a long contract, so if he were to leave, significant money would come in that you could reinvest in players who fit the manager’s philosophy.

“I’m sure he’s giving his best to get Chelsea into the top four. But if his heart is telling him to go – well, I had to choose between Monaco and Marseille once, and I followed my heart. I went to Marseille because I was a fan. Players come and go in modern football, but the club is the priority in the hearts of supporters."

Chelsea are currently sat fifth in the Premier League table, three points adrift of Manchester United. They are now working under Liam Rosenior and have also reached the last-16 of Champions League competition and fifth round of the FA Cup - where they will face Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac’s Wrexham.