Liverpool remain locked in talks ahead of a potentially record-breaking deal to bring Darwin Nunez to Anfield this summer.
Jurgen Klopp has identified the Benfica striker as his top target after a season which saw him plunder 34 goals in all competitions. Mirror Football understands that while a bid has yet to be officially lodged, there is open dialogue between the two clubs, with Liverpool said to be immersed in talks.
It is believed Nunez, 22, could cost more than £80million once bonuses are included, with Kop bosses hoping to put a structured deal together. Liverpool ’s current record sits at the £75m paid for Virgil van Dijk in January 2018.
New sporting director Julian Ward has already held informal discussions over a down payment of around £65m, with the rest coming in bonus-related increments of around £18m to the original fee. And while that would technically mean Van Dijk’s record stands in the short term, it would eventually be smashed if Nunez is a success.
Benfica are willing to play hardball with their prize asset and have recent evidence in the shape of the £113m they received for Joao Felix three summers ago. But it isn’t only the Portuguese club who set to profit from Nunez’s sale, with Almeria closely monitoring the situation.
Nunez spent just one year with the Spanish club, scoring 16 goals in the Segunda Division, before joining Benfica in a deal worth around £20m in 2020, becoming the most expensive signing in Portuguese history.
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And Almeria are in line for a significant chunk of any fee paid for the prolific front-man, having negotiated a 20 per cent sell-on clause into the deal which saw him move to Lisbon two years ago.
The club’s president Turki Al-Sheikh teased that he was hoping for a transfer to be completed imminently, posting an image of their former striker in the famous Liverpool shirt. Almeria sporting director Joao Goncalves has also spoken about the move, backing Nunez to thrive in the added spotlight of the Premier League.
Speaking to Radio Renascença show Bola Branca, he said: “I understand your fears, but believe me it’s a low-risk operation. If nothing strange happened, the player would be sold at least two or three times as much. I’m pleased that things are heading in that direction.”
He continued: “He won’t have any adaptation problem. Darwin is humble, has talent, a winner’s mentality and a great capacity for work.”
That will come as welcome news for the Reds, who will need any forward to hit the ground running in what promises to be their first season without Sadio Mane. The Senegalese forward has just 12 months remaining on his current contract, but has intimated to teammates that he is happy to leave.
Bayern Munich are the overwhelming favourites to sign Mane, despite seeing two bids roundly rejected. A second offer, in the region of £30m with add-ons included, was branded a joke by chiefs on Merseyside, with officials bemused by the German giant’s approach to the transfer.
