Darwin Nunez can issue new message to Arne Slot as Liverpool ace sends cheeky 'apology' to teammate

Darwin Nunez is on a hot streak for Uruguay, bagging six goals in his last five appearances. The hope is that Marcelo Bielsa's tutelage with the national side will spark even more impressive form at club level for Liverpool under Arne Slot next season.

Last season saw Nunez hit the back of the net 18 times, as well as providing 13 assists, although his scoring seemed to dry up post-March, with no goals recorded after the early days of April. The striker celebrates his 25th birthday on Monday, coinciding with Uruguay's Copa America opener against Panama.

Uruguay, which hasn't made it to the semi-finals of the tournament since its 15th title win in 2011, is looking to Nunez as the key player to lead them past the quarter-finals this year. However, his involvement means he'll be absent for a significant portion of Liverpool's pre-season.

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Slot has been vocal this week about the disrupted summer schedule he faces, with international commitments causing staggered returns for his squad. The Dutchman will aim to implement his playing philosophy, which he likens to Jurgen Klopp's approach but "not exactly the same".

Nunez, who faced criticism for his lackluster performances towards the end of last season, resulting in him being dropped for the final four Premier League games, will be keen to avoid any disruption under the new head coach. But for the moment, Nunez's focus is on his country, and he recently shared a clip on social media showcasing a stunning long-range goal during a training session with Uruguay, proving that his scoring touch is still intact despite a recent dry spell at club level.

The footage captures him expertly curling the ball into the net's corner, leaving goalkeeper Sergio Rochet stationary. Barcelona's Ronald Araujo nearly obstructs the shot, leading Nunez to jest on Instagram: "Where u going bro Leave me to my @ronaldaraujo_4 [sic]" accompanied by a laughing emoji. He also quipped: "Sorry @chinorochet93."

Nunez is poised to increase his goal count for Uruguay in upcoming matches against Panama, Bolivia, and the USA. With goals in each of his last five appearances for his nation, he boasts 11 goals in 23 caps in total. He will then return for pre-season with Liverpool ahead of the new Premier League season starting in mid-August.

Liverpool.com says: A big season lies ahead for Nunez. After two years of settling in at Anfield, he is at the age now where he needs to click into gear and become a bit more ruthless. Under Slot, it is possible that he will do that and he can clearly finish — but he's going to need to show that he is capable of it pretty quickly amid such competition for places in the Liverpool attack.