Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez showcased remarkable performance for Uruguay, scoring three goals against Mexico in anticipation of the Copa America. Arne Slot will undoubtedly be paying close attention to his impressive display.

Darwin Nunez delivered an impactful performance in his first appearance since the conclusion of the Liverpool season, netting a hat-trick for Uruguay in a warm-up match against Mexico ahead of the Copa America. This display undoubtedly caught the attention of Arne Slot.

Among the many decisions facing Slot, the future of Nunez looms large. While Liverpool’s new head coach is likely to have limited control over the basic decision of whether to retain or sell Nunez, given the club’s determination to support the striker, there remains a pressing need to unlock the full potential of the 24-year-old.

Towards the end of the club season, some Liverpool supporters may have needed a reminder of Nunez’s capabilities. Even Jurgen Klopp had grown frustrated with Nunez’s frequent missed opportunities, among other issues, leading to his benching in favor of Cody Gakpo during the latter stages of the season.

However, when playing with the Uruguay team, where he has expressed feeling most comfortable, Nunez demonstrated precisely why Liverpool invested in him with a potentially record-breaking transfer fee two summers ago. It was one of those occasions where all the chances he had narrowly missed at the club level found their way into the back of the net.

He opened the scoring just seven minutes into the match. Nunez benefitted from some of the luck that had eluded him at Liverpool — making minimal contact with a low delivery into the box, he was in the right place at the right time to slot the ball home after the keeper could only parry it.

As his confidence grew, so did his goal tally. Nunez secured his brace before halftime, calmly tapping the ball into an empty net after a square ball across goal; although it was a straightforward finish, his dynamic run and quick exchange were instrumental in creating the opportunity.

In the second half, Nunez received another gift. Timing his run to perfection, he found himself at the back post with another simple tap-in, extending Uruguay’s lead to four goals after Facundo Pellistri had also scored in the first half.

Admittedly, none of Nunez’s goals will be featured on his personal highlight reel. Nevertheless, they demonstrated to Slot that Nunez possesses the potential to be the predatory striker and focal point of the attack that Liverpool signed him to be.

While Slot may wish to assess the Uruguay forward firsthand, “Liverpool 2.0” likely already has its designated striker in Darwin Nunez.