It is no secret that Liverpool are in need of a Sadio Mane replacement this summer. With the Senegalese superstar set to depart Anfield soon, the Merseyside giants will have to dip into the transfer market in order to get an attacker who can help fill the void that will inevitably be left by the former Southampton winger.
One man who is on Jurgen Klopp's radar is Darwin Nunez. The Benfica sensation has attracted interest from Europe's biggest clubs after a breathtaking 2021/22 campaign and is ready to leave the Portuguese top-flight this summer.
And according to the latest rumors, Liverpool are now ready to pay the hefty price tag to land the Uruguayan superstar. The Daily Mail report that the UEFA Champions League runners-up are willing to meet Benfica's value, which would make Nunez the Reds' record signing.
The Eagles want £85M, which equals roughly $107M, for the 22-year-old. This would eclipse the £75M fee paid to Southampton to bring Virgil van Dijk to Merseyside back in January 2018. Additionally, Nunez is said to be keen on joining Klopp's side.
The Uruguayan is also sought after by the likes of Manchester United and Atletico Madrid. Simeone's side have been linked, and for obvious reasons, as a new striker is needed at the Wanda Metropolitano after Luis Suarez's exit, but the links to Los Rojiblancos have died down recently.
The Red Devils have been pushing heavily for Nunez, who knocked out Erik ten Hag's former club Ajax in the UEFA Champions League round of 16. However, after finishing sixth in the table last season, Manchester United do not have Champions League football to offer the South American and this could be a deal breaker.
Liverpool, on the other hand, have UEFA Champions League football to offer, and with the club looking to raise between £40M and £50M from the sale of Sadio Mane, the Premier League giants should have the funds to finance this move. Klopp is an admirer of the striker, which is crucial, while Van Dijk, labelled by many as the best center-back in world football, named the Estádio da Luz talent as one of the toughest opponents he has faced.
Nunez plus £40m-£50m for Mane is a pretty decent deal considering Nunez is nearly 8 yrs younger. Mane, Diaz & Salah are of similar styles - pace, technical ability, etc Nunez can bring similar traits along with that extra bit of power, at times Liverpool needed that last season.
— DaveOCKOP (@DaveOCKOP) June 8, 2022
Liverpool's sporting director Julian Ward has held discussions with Benfica over a move, and given the player's keenness to join Salah and Co. this summer, fans can get excited over this report. However, only time will tell whether the club will splash the cash on the striker or pull out of a bidding war.
Nunez, who can also play on the left wing, scored a whopping 34 times in 41 appearances for Benfica last season. Six of those goals came in the UEFA Champions League, including strikes against Barcelona and Bayern Munich in the group stage, and a two-goal effort against Liverpool in the quarterfinals.
