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Featured Image Credit: Liverpool FC
Topics: Liverpool, Benfica, Premier League, Transfers, Darwin Nunez, Football
Rory O'Callaghan
Topics: Liverpool, Benfica, Premier League, Transfers, Darwin Nunez, Football
Liverpool have confirmed the signing of striker Darwin Nunez in a club-record transfer from Benfica.
The 22-year-old has signed a "long-term contract" at Liverpool, thought to be a six-year deal.
Liverpool have reportedly paid an initial €75m (£64m) fee for the Uruguay international, with potential add-ons amounting to €25m (£21m).
The overall package of €100m (£85m) surpasses the £75m figure Liverpool paid to Southampton for Virgil van Dijk in 2018.
Manchester United and Atletico Madrid had also been linked with the striker, who scored 47 goals in 84 games for Benfica after joining the Portuguese side in a club-record €24m (£20.6m) move from Almeria in 2020.
Liverpool have now won the race to sign the Uruguayan, who scored twice against the Reds in the Champions League last season.
Nunez arrived on Merseyside on Tuesday to complete the move.
"I'm really happy and delighted to be here at Liverpool. It's a massive club,” Nunez told Liverpool's website.
"I'd like to thank my partner and my parents and my son, who is a real source of pride for me. They’ve been really important to me in the stages in my career. I'm really proud of them, and for the work we do, me and my partner, as a team and I'm grateful to her that I'm here.
"It's a pleasure to be here in Liverpool and I'm very happy to be a part of this great club. I've played against Liverpool and I've seen them in lots of games in the Champions League, and it's my style of play. There are some great players here and I think it's going to suit my style of play here.
"As I say, I've watched quite a lot and it's a very big club and I hope I can give everything that I’ve got in order to help the team."
Nunez will take on the No 27 shirt recently vacated by Divock Origi. His arrival at Anfield also paves the way for Sadio Mane to join Bayern Munich.
Mane has one year remaining on his contract at Anfield but is reportedly keen to join the German champions, who have already had two bids turned down for the Senegal international - the latest worth up to £30m.
Liverpool are believed to want in excess of £40m for Mane, who has scored 120 goals in 269 games for Liverpool since joining from Southampton in 2016.