Liverpool are close to final agreement to sign Uruguay striker Darwin Nunez from Portuguese club Benfica. The deal is expected to be worth an initial £64 million.
The Premier League club have been in talk with Benfica for several weeks and Liverpool’s new sporting director Julian Ward is believed to have finally negotiated a swoop for one of the game’s hottest properties.
Nunez 22-year-old, scored 34 times in 41 appearances across all competitions for Benfica last season. He also scored twice against Liverpool as Benfica were beaten 6-4 across two legs by the Reds in the champions league quarter-finals.
It was reported on Sunday that Liverpool has agreed to pay an initial £64 million, with a possible £12.8 million payable in appearance-related add-ons and another £8.5 million depending on team success.
If all conditions are met Nunez’s transfer would eclipse the Liverpool club record fee of £75 million, paid to Southampton for Dutch centre-back Virgil van Dijk in 2018.
After the second meeting, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp predicted Nunez had ‘a big career ahead of him, describing him as ‘physically strong, quick and calm around his finish.”
A medical has yet to take place but it is believed Liverpool sporting director Julian Ward was in Portugal over the weekend to hold talks.
Premier League rivals Manchester United were reportedly also interested in signing Nunez, who cost Benfica 24m euros (£20.5m) when he signed from the Spanish side Almeria in 2020. Nunez, scored six times in 10 Champions League games last term, while he managed 26 goals and four assists in 28 league matches.
