Liverpool have been told by one of their former players to send a message to Manchester City and Man United with a signing this summer.
The Reds continue to be linked with a host of potential new players ahead of the summer transfer window. One of those players is Benfica striker Darwin Nunez.
Nunez is on Liverpool’s shortlist as they prepare for life without Sadio Mane. But the highly-rated Uruguay international is one of several forwards being assessed with the Reds unwilling to pay over the odds in their attempt to continue evolving their attack.
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Nunez has emerged as one of the leading names being discussed by the Liverpool recruitment team after his reputation skyrocketed during an outstanding season with Benfica. Liverpool, though, are unwilling to pay over the odds for Nunez, who has been linked with £85million interest from Man United and Newcastle.
Former Liverpool striker Stan Collymore has backed his old club to sign Nunez this summer. The ex-forward also believes signing the Benfica star would be more likely to choose a move to Anfield rather than Old Trafford.
“Darwin Nunez scores goals and creates bother for defenders, so I’m very excited that Liverpool are in for him as well as Manchester United,” Collymore told The Mirror .
“Liverpool have to make the odd marquee signing as well to fire shots across the bows of the other big clubs in the Premier League, and signing Nunez for £68m would be one of those.
“I said a few weeks ago that Liverpool can’t just be known as a club that is buying players at £30million or £40m and hoping that every one of them is going to be the same stunning success that Mo Salah, Sadio Mane and Diogo Jota have been, and that Luis Diaz potentially can be.
“You’re starting to get into Virgil van Dijk price-tag territory, near-club-record money, and I’m delighted to hear Liverpool saying, ‘We’re prepared to go marquee when we need to and when we want to’.
“Going for a player such as Nunez tells United, Manchester City, Chelsea and Co that Liverpool are in it to win it now even more than they have been in the Jurgen Klopp era.
“People thought he would be a shoo-in for United but that’s not the case and it would be the sort of signing I called for just a few weeks ago.
“And if it’s a choice between Liverpool and United at the moment then it’s a no-brainer to go to Liverpool.
“At one club, he’d be in with a chance of winning trophies immediately, whereas going to the other would be a punt.
“Let’s say he did think about going to United. I mean, there are no guarantees that, under Erik ten Hag, the Ajax school will be transferable. Certainly not with the febrile, bubbling pressure the supporter base is putting on the players and the Glazers.”
