Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand expects Darwin Nunez to be a 'top signing' for Liverpool after the club confirmed the transfer this week.
The 22-year-old completed the switch to Anfield from Benfica on Tuesday and will wear the number 27 shirt next season. He arrives amid uncertainty over the future of Sadio Mane, but Ferdinand believes the Reds have found a 'top' replacement for the Senegalese.
The pundit shared in a tweet: "Watched a lot of this guy in the Champions League last season... Virgil Van Dijk gave a glowing reference in a recent interview.
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"Looks like a top signing for Liverpool unfortunately."
Speaking to Ferdinand before the Champions League final last month, Van Dijk described Nunez as 'difficult to play against' having played against the Uruguayan twice at the quarter-final stage.
The Dutchman told BT Sport and Five : "The name of Haaland, and also Darwin, he’s a bit similar, very direct, quick, tall, strong, and it's quite difficult to play against those guys.”
Manager Jurgen Klopp also offered similar praise around the matches against Benfica last season. “Really good, really good. I knew before, of course, but he played pretty much in front of me with his tough battles with Ibrahima Konate," the Liverpool boss said in April.
“He was physically strong, quick, was calm around his finish. Good, really good. I always say in these situations if he is healthy, it’s a big career ahead of him.”
