Nelson Verissimo is hopeful Benfica can get close to the astronomical fee paid for Joao Felix when Manchester United target Darwin Nunez ultimately leaves the club.
Nunez brought his tally for the season up to 31 in all competitions on Saturday, plundering a hat-trick as Benfica beat Belenenses 3-1. It’s the kind of form which has piqued the interest from club’s across Europe, including the Premier League.
The Uruguayan international also found the net during his side’s Champions League clash against Liverpool in midweek, with the Portuguese giants ultimately losing out 3-1. According to the Daily Express, United and Arsenal scouts were in Lisbon to watch the quarter-final clash and the race to sign Nunez promises to be a hotly contested one.
But speaking after the win, Verissimo admits that interest in the striker is to be expected, and warned any prospective suitor will have to pay a premium, getting close to the £113million Atletico Madrid paid for Joao Felix in July 2019. "What do you think? Darwin is an excellent player, he has shown all his quality. He has helped the team a lot, it is true that the team has also helped him a lot,” the Benfica head coach explained.
“He is a young player, with a lot of potential, it is natural that given what has been his growth throughout this season and also a lot as a result of the performance he has had in the Champions League games, it is natural that he arouses the interest of the big European clubs.
“It will be at the end of this season or the following season, depending on what it has shown, it is natural that it will arouse interest from other clubs and naturally there may be the timing in which it goes. Now regarding numbers, I hope as a Benfica fan that it will go for numbers close to those that were João Félix's numbers. Now it's not for me to enter numbers on that field.
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“In what is my day to day with the player, in what is given to us to observe in training and in the game, naturally we are here before a different player and all the different players arouse the interest of the big European clubs. Darwin is on that lot, obviously."
Ahead of a potential blockbuster transfer this summer, Nunez confirmed that he had left agent Edgardo Lasalvia, with the expectation he will join Jorge Mendes’s Gestifute stable of talent. "I want to clarify that I will not renew my contract with my representative Edgardo Lasalvia,” he wrote on social media earlier this week. “I also want to clarify that neither my family nor I have received any threats [to remain with Lasalvia] and we are fine."
Ralf Rangnick has already admitted that it is “obvious” United will be in the market for a younger striker this summer with Cristiano Ronaldo, 37, and 34-year-old Edinson Cavani their two starting options. "Edison's contract is running out in the summer, and the club needs the best possible centre forward,” he explained earlier this year. “This is an obvious one. I think everyone is aware of that."
