Jurgen Klopp launches passionate Darwin Nunez defence as Liverpool transfer stance made clear

Jurgen Klopp has mounted a staunch defence of Darwin Nunez and dismissed any chance that the striker could join Barcelona.

Nunez sparked uncertainty over his future by deleting all Liverpool-related pictures of him from his Instagram account after he was criticised by fans for missing a one-on-one chance against Tottenham last Sunday. He was then pictured visiting his Uruguay team-mate and Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo in the Catalan capital, fuelling speculation he wanted to join the Spanish giants, who are keen on signing him.

Klopp has shot down such talk and insists any speculation after Nunez’s future is “external”. He defended the hitman, who has 18 goals and 12 assists this season for Liverpool, claiming he is being singled out unfairly because of his eight-game goal drought.

Nunez is second in the list for most big chances missed in the Premier League and Klopp says he is being criticised because his poor form coincides with Liverpool’s downturn.

“There’s no speculation,” said the Reds boss. “That must be an external speculation because I don’t know about it.

“There’s no speculation right now. It’s just the situation we’re in and, yes, Darwin was definitely not happy with missing that chance. He’s unlucky. He’s unlucky in so many situations where he’s doing everything right and then the ball still doesn’t go in.

"That’s really tough for a young man, it’s really tough. He knows about the expectations here, he has big expectations on himself.

“That’s tough and you have to go through this. There is no alternative to going through this and he’s going through it. That’s what he’s doing right now. We tried to help him, but in the end, you have to go through it. Everybody has to go through this and this part of a