Liverpool made Benfica an offer they could not refuse by stumping up a mammoth €100million (£86m) for Darwin Nunez, according to Rui Costa, the Portuguese club's president.
The Reds made Nunez their marquee signing of the summer transfer window after agreeing the mega-money deal in mid-June. The Uruguayan international, 23, has had a challenging start to life in the Premier League, scoring once in three appearances and serving a three-match ban after headbutting Crystal Palace defender Joachim Andersen.
He arrived at Anfield after scoring 34 goals in all competitions last season, which was his second as a Benfica player. The Primeira Liga giants were understandably loath to let Nunez depart but Costa has defended the decision to sell him, confessing it was "completely impossible" to turn down such a large transfer fee.
"We are talking about one of the highest transfers of the market," the Benfica president and former AC Milan playmaker told BTV. "We are still coming out of a pandemic situation, which held back the football market. Making a sale of €75m (£65m) plus €25m (£22m) is not open to discussion.
"The sale of Darwin is more than justified. There weren't even conditions to keep him, it was completely impossible, for the values that came into the club and for what Darwin went on to earn."
Nunez scored against Manchester City in the Community Shield in late July and also found the back of the net against Fulham on the opening weekend of the Premier League season. However, like many of his Liverpool teammates, he has struggled to replicate his best form during their poor start to the campaign.
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Nunez made his return against Everton in early September but was kept at bay by a resolute Toffees defence in the goalless draw at Goodison Park. He dropped to the bench for last week's Champions League encounter with Napoli and was introduced in the second half as the Reds suffered a chastening 4-1 defeat at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
After their Premier League clash with Wolves was postponed following the death of the Queen, Liverpool return to action on Tuesday as they welcome Ajax to Anfield in their second group-stage fixture, while their trip to Chelsea on Sunday has been called off. Nunez is expected to lead the line against Dutch giants Ajax and Jurgen Klopp is desperate to bounce back from the "horror show" against Napoli.
"I watched the game back plenty of times and it was a real horror show, to be honest, so we showed the boys the situation as well," the Liverpool manager told reporters on Monday. "They knew but then seeing it again makes it really obvious."
