Darwin Nunez continues to be linked with a move to Liverpool this summer as the transfer window nears. Talks have reportedly progressed in the past 24 hours and we can now bring you the latest information on the deal.
The Benfica striker is attracting plenty of interest from across Europe thanks to his form throughout the 2021/22 season. He scored 34 goals in 41 appearances, and helped his team reach the Champions League quarter-final.
As well as Liverpool, Nunez has also been linked with Manchester United, Newcastle and Paris Saint-Germain ahead of the summer. The Uruguay international has been tipped to be a possible replacement for Sadio Mane, who is attracting interest from Bayern Munich.
Here's everything that we know about Liverpool's rumoured interest in Nunez so far.
ECHO LATEST: Darwin Nunez transfer update as Liverpool edge towards £85m deal
FINAL PROBLEM: Liverpool face Benfica hurdle in pursuit of £85m Nunez deal
Portuguese media report 'advanced' talks
The deal to sign Darwin Nunez is reportedly in an 'advanced' stage, with a fee for the Uruguayan forward reportedly having been agreed.
The deal accelerated on Wednesday and it is being reported by Portuguese publications, O Jogo and A Bola, that Liverpool first offered £60m up front and £25m in bonuses, which was rejected before they returned with a bid of £68 million up front + bonuses. This offer is now being considered by the Portuguese giants.
The front page of another Portuguese publication, Record, have the story on their front page and have also reported the same transfer fee. The stories state that a deal is set to be completed by the weekend and that the 22-year-old will sign a five year deal with the Reds.
The deal in its entirety would eclipse the £75million paid to secure the signing of Virgil van Dijk from Southampton in 2018 and make Nunez Liverpool's record signing.
Luis Suarez endorsement
Nunez is a compatriot of Luis Suarez and plays international football with him for Uruguay and the legendary Livepool striker has spoken about the Benfica forward publicly in the past, revealing that he recommended him to Barcelona.
He claims that the Catalan club rejected the signing because he was too young at the time: "I recommended Darwin to Barcelona when he was at Almeria," Suarez revealed in an interview with Gerard Romero on Twitch. "I have 15 years of international experience. I know a thing or two about forwards. And I told them, ‘pay attention to this one, he’s very good, he shows interesting things’.
"They told me he was at Almeria and that he was too young. But instead of paying now €80m, €90m or €100m, they would’ve paid €15m or €20m and have him there as a substitute."
Liverpool must answer blunt '£100m' Darwin Nunez question
Having been an integral part of Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool side for the last six years, Sadio Mane's Anfield journey could come to an end this summer.
Now 30, Mane is edging towards a new challenge, even though the Reds would like to keep him at the club. But at a time when the club also have another contract negotiation to try and sort for a player very close to reaching his 30s in Salah, the need to transform the side for the next chapter with young players that can carry the Reds forward under Klopp is a key priority.
Darwin Nunez is a player who has been on the radar of every major club across Europe for some time now. The 22-year-old Uruguayan has been a standout for Benfica in Portugal's Primeira Liga and is likely to be on the move this summer. Nunez is a player who Liverpool are interested in, although whether they can fashion a deal remains to be seen.
If Mane does choose to leave Liverpool then the Reds will pocket a handsome sum, the club likely to seek more than £40m for his services if they do feel that there is no prospect of him staying at Anfield. It will also see his wages of around £100,000 per week leave the wage bill, money that frees up space for a new addition to replace the Senegalese and potentially helping to bridge the Salah wage issue that the Reds are currently negotiating.
Nunez has been reported to earn considerably less in Portugal, some 70 per cent less in fact. However, a move to one of European football's giants in Liverpool and a Premier League that is the most watched in the world would mean a doubling of Nunez's exisiting wage demands would be the least the Uruguayan and his representatives would expect to achieve.
Nunez, according to transfer market value analysis conducted by analysts at Football Benchmark , has a value of around £58m. According to their research, based on a number of metrics, Nunez has seen the fourth biggest transfer market value rise in European football over the last four months, his value rising by £17.4m and behind only Barcelona's Pedri, Rafael Leao of AC Milan and Vinicius Jr of Real Madrid. He is hot property in European football right now, he fits the profile for what many clubs are seeking in the summer transfer window.
Darwin Nunez urged to snub Manchester United
Former Liverpool left-back Jose Enrique has called on Darwin Nunez to snub Manchester United for Liverpool and said the Uruguayan can become ‘world class’ at Anfield.
The striker scored a remarkable 34 goals in 41 appearances for the Portuguese side across the 2021/22 campaign and has emerged as one of the most sought-after forwards in Europe ahead of the summer transfer window. Unsurprisingly his exploits, which included six Champions league goals and two against Liverpool in the quarter-final, have led to a significant number of clubs showing an interest.
Despite the wide variety of potential suitors, reports emerged that Manchester United are favourites as they look to rebuild an under-performing and divided squad under new manager Erik ten Hag.
And Enrique strongly discouraged the Uruguayan from making the move. “I hope this is not true and he comes to us instead,” the Spaniard wrote on his Instagram story in response to an article suggesting United are favourites for his signature.
“We [Liverpool] should go for him, a top player who can become world class under [Jurgen] Klopp if we sell Sadio Mane."
Darwin Nunez sent Liverpool and Manchester United transfer message
Darwin Nunez should choose a move to Liverpool over Manchester United if he is given the option this summer.
That is according to ex-Liverpool defender Glen Johnson, who believes it makes more sense for the Benfica star to opt for Anfield over Old Trafford as Jurgen Klopp's side will be on the hunt for more trophies next season.
But while Johnson has no doubt who Diaz should pick, if the opportunity arises, he has a warning for his former club.
The 54-capped England international told Bettingodds : "You’d think Nunez would head to Anfield if it’s between Liverpool and Manchester United. As we know, Manchester United don’t have the same pulling power they once did.
"There was a time when Manchester United came calling then the answer was ‘yes’. That’s not the case at the moment, so if Liverpool and Manchester United are going head to head for him then I’m sure he’d pick Liverpool over United.
"If Liverpool are to pay the £100million that Benfica supposedly want for him, then that’s against their structure and the way they do business, but that’s the way the game is going. If they don’t start opening up to that, then others will capitalise on that.
"I do like the way Liverpool do their business, but they need to be a bit flexible with it because the other big guns will be willing to pay it, whether it’s against their protocols or not."
