Liverpool have been told it will take £85m to sign Darwin Nunez.
And now they have a huge dilemma as they ponder a serious move for the striker who has emerged as their top target this summer.
The Reds have been adamant they will not overpay for the Benfica striker, and have other irons in the fire as they look to a future without Sadio Mane.
Liverpool have indicated they will not get into a bidding war with Manchester United over the services of the Uruguay international.
But Benfica are adamant they will not lower the price, and after enquiries from Liverpool, United and Atletico Madrid, they have named their price for a player who scored 36 goals this season.
Two of those came against Liverpool in the Champions League this season, with the 22 year old scoring six in the competition to prove he can cut it at the highest level.
Jurgen Klopp is a big admirer of the striker, and it is clear he is ready to change around his forward line to accommodate Nunez, with Mane looking increasingly likely to depart.
Bayern Munich are pushing for the Senegal star and it is expected they will make a second bid, after having their initial offer turned down flat by the English club.
Nunez can play on the left, but he is more comfortable with playing down the middle, which would allow Klopp to use Luis Diaz on the left, and refocus the Liverpool attack.
With Mo Salah misfiring at the end of the season, Klopp’s side struggled to score goals in the closing weeks of an historic campaign, and that was never more painfully apparent than in the Champions League final.
They produced 24 chances but couldn’t score despite dominating Real Madrid, and Nunez would provide another alternative with his obvious goalscoring prowess.
But now Liverpool must decide whether they offer what would be a club record transfer fee for the player, despite insisting they will not go above their valuation, which is considerably lower.
Benfica have indicated they will stick to their guns, with their €100m valuation their only price, take it or leave it.
The Reds have suggested they will walk away if the bidding gets too high, but Klopp has made Nunez his number one target, and now the club has a huge decision to make.
