Liverpool are closing in on a deal to sign the Uruguay international from Benfica
(Image credit: PA)
Liverpool are closing in on a deal to sign Darwin Nunez from Benfica, according to reports.
The Benfica striker has agreed personal terms with the Reds and is ready to commit the next five years of his career to the club.
Liverpool are looking to bolster their squad after narrowly missing out on the Premier League title and the Champions League last season.
Jurgen Klopp's side are ready to pay £68m upfront for the Uruguay international, who enjoyed an impressive campaign in Portugal last time out.
Nunez scored 34 goals in 41 matches in all competitions, although his efforts were not enough for Benfica to win a trophy.
(Image credit: Getty)
The two clubs are still haggling over the precise terms of the transfer, but talks are expected to progress in the coming days.
The Sun writes that Benfica want an additional £17m in add-ons linked to appearances, goals and silverware.
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Liverpool are hoping to keep the total cost under £80m for a player who has also been linked with their arch-rivals, Manchester United.
While the likely acquisition of Nunez has been well received by Liverpool fans, the deal will partly be funded by the departure of Sadio Mane.
That is according to a report by the Daily Telegraph which states that the Reds expect Bayern Munich to meet their £40m asking price for the Senegal international.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Mane's contract at Anfield expires next summer and he wants to seek pastures new ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.
The blow of losing Mane would be softened by the arrival of Nunez, for whom Klopp was full of praise ahead of a Champions League tie between Benfica and Liverpool last term.
"[He is] An extremely good looking boy, and a decent player as well," the Reds boss said.
"Really good, really good. I knew it before but he played pretty much in front of me. Physically strong, quick, was calm with his finish. Really good. If he stays healthy, it’s a big career ahead of him."
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Greg Lea is a freelance football journalist who's filled in wherever FourFourTwo needs him since 2014. He became a Crystal Palace fan after watching a 1-0 loss to Port Vale in 1998, and once got on the scoresheet in a primary school game against Wilfried Zaha's Whitehorse Manor (an own goal in an 8-0 defeat).
