Liverpool forward Darwin Nunez has three potential landing spots in the offing if he is to depart the Reds in the summer – with a move to either Italy or Spain a possibility.
The Uruguayan striker has experienced a mixed three-year spell on Merseyside after becoming the club’s all-time record purchase back in 2019. However, the 25-year-old’s mercurial stay at Anfield could well be brought to a close in the upcoming transfer window following a season which has yielded just seven goals in 43 appearances.
Overall, the ex-Benfica man has 40 strikes to his name in 139 outings in the red shirt, with observers having oft lambasted his perceived wastefulness in front of goal. The divisive star does not appear to have convinced head coach Arne Slot of his merits either, with Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz ahead of him in the center forward pecking order in L4.
The striker was signed during the previous regime under Jurgen Klopp and his successor and sporting director Richard Hughes are expected to be open to letting their No. 9 leave this summer. That is according to the Athletic, who have reported that this current campaign is “set to be his last” at Anfield.
They contend that the forward will not be short on potential suitors in the coming months either, with interest in his services set to come from Saudi Arabia. It was previously reported that Pro League outfit Al Nassr had been keeping tabs on Nunez’s availability back in January – having been purportedly willing to part with £70m for the player.
In terms of interest from European clubs, the above report also claims that the ex-Penarol ace is also being courted by Spanish club Atletico Madrid, alongside Italian giant AC Milan. As for potential replacements at Liverpool if the Uruguayan is to depart, it appears that Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak may well be out of financial reach.
However, other options do exist on the market such as Hugo Ekitike of Eintracht Frankfurt and Benjamin Sesko of RB Leipzig, with both highly-rated following strong respective seasons in Germany. As for Nunez, manager Slot was quick to dash suggestions of a feud between him and the striker recently.
(Image: Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images)
Rumors had emerged of a bust-up in training after the star was left out of Liverpool’s clash with West Ham last month. However, Slot was quick to dash these whispers, saying: “He didn’t feel himself the day before the match, and he went inside and he wasn’t able to be part of the team the day after.
“That can mean multiple things, yes. He didn’t feel himself,” he said, before definitively clarifying that no harsh words were exchanged, adding: “No, he didn’t. He did leave the pitch because he didn’t feel himself. As in he didn’t have words with a staff member.”
As for suggestions that he was not playing Nunez due to a clause in relation to his transfer fee from Benfica three years ago, he also hit back at these claims, saying: “Do you always believe what journalists say?
“Not always? Me neither. Sometimes it is better not to believe everything that is written about players.
“[The clause is] completely new to me. The last thing I would expect Richard Hughes [the sporting director] to do is tell me that if I play Nunez it would cost us this much. He would never do that. He never interferes with the line-up.”
Looking ahead to next season after securing the Premier League title against Spurs, Slot admitted that the carnival-like scenes at Anfield after the triumph was confirmed would likely help to attract new recruits. He said: “It definitely helps, I think, to attract new players as well, because mostly the players that we want to have, we are not the only clubs who think they are good players so these players have probably more options.”
