Liverpool look to have all but sealed the signing of Darwin Nunez from Benfica. The Reds were told earlier this week that it would take a club-record fee to prise the Uruguayan away from the Portuguese outfit, but it now looks as though a deal has been agreed.
Nunez was absent from Uruguay’s squad yesterday as he travelled to Spain to finalise negotiations.
As per Fabrizio Romano the 22-year-old will undergo a medical in Liverpool tomorrow, and put pen to paper on a six year contract until 2028.
Here we go confirmed for Darwin Núñez > Liverpool deal 🔴🤝 #LFC
▫️ Deal done yesterday, meeting in Portugal.
▫️ Darwin now in Spain.
▫️ Medicals tomorrow in England.
▫️ Contract until 2028, six year deal.
▫️ Liverpool will pay €80m fee plus €20m add ons.Never been in doubt. pic.twitter.com/mfdk39IY7A
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 12, 2022
The deal is expected to be worth £64 million up front, with Benfica able to a receive a further £21 million in performance and achievement based add-ons.
Jurgen Klopp was full of praise for his seemingly soon-to-be new centre forward ahead of Liverpool’s Champions League Quarter-final second leg tie with Benfica back in April, after Nunez had scored in the first leg.
“An extremely good looking boy eh? And a decent player as well so really good. I knew about him before of course but he played pretty much in front of me. [He had] tough battles with Ibou Konate, physically strong, quick, was calm around his finish, really really good. If he stays healthy there’s a big career ahead of him.”
Nunez ultimately netted in the second game as well.
Virgil Van Dijk, during an interview with Rio Ferdinand for BT Sport last month, also named Darwin on an illustrious list of his toughest ever opponents –
“Aguero was obviously unbelievable. Messi, arguably the best player in the history of football in my opinion. Mbappe is different, quick… Haaland and also Darwin. He’s a bit similar – very direct, quick, tall, strong and it’s quite difficult to play against him.”
Liverpool fans will certainly remember the last time a Uruguayan striker pulled on the red shirt, with Luis Suarez becoming one of the club’s most prolific goalscorers of all time.
The acquisition of Nunez, as well as the capture of Luis Diaz in January, will be especially welcomed on Merseyside as Sadio Mane nears a move to Bayern Munich and Mohamed Salah is yet to sign a new contract.
Providing all goes well with the player’s medical assessment and the final elements of the transfer, Darwin Nunez will be announced as a Liverpool player in the coming days and could make his debut against Manchester United when the two clubs meet in a pre-season friendly in Bangkok in July.