The True Cost Of Darwin Nunez Revealed

Benfica have this morning confirmed that they have reached an agreement with Liverpool for the sale of Darwin Nuñez.

The Portuguese club revealed they have committed to a “sale of all rights to the player Darwin Nunez” for an initial “€75 million.” The agreement also provides “for the payment of a variable remuneration”, so the transfer fee could rise to “€100 million.” The sum has been confirmed by Benfica themselves, evidencing Liverpool’s commitment to spending big on the player.

The Uruguayan is set to sign a 5-year contract with the Reds. Portuguese football expert Pedro Sepulveda believes Nuñez will be earning approximately £98,600-a-week at Anfield, which will amount to £5.1 million per annum. This is a similar salary to that of the likely departing Sadio Mané. Nuñez is evidently a direct replacement for the Senegal international.

Liverpool will view the signing of Nuñez as more economical than keeping Mané. The 30-year-old former Southampton man is believed to be demanding a new wage of £400,000-a-week. Handing such a wage packet to a player who is past his prime wouldn’t be wise for Liverpool. Thus, despite the large transfer fee, signing the 22-year-old Nuñez would appear to be more financially sensible than extending Mané’s contract.

Liverpool talisman Mo Salah’s salary demands are believed to be similar to Mané’s. The Egyptian forward is one of the best players in the Premier League, and therefore wants to be on the same sort of money as the very best in the division. Given how important he is to the Reds, Liverpool may buckle and give him what he wants.

However, Nuñez’s salary demands are significantly humbler than those of his future teammates. This will be attractive to Liverpool who tend to try to stick to a tight wage structure.

The deal will eventually amount to the €100 million Benfica could gain from the deal. The Portuguese giants gain €5 million if he plays 10 games for the Reds, and another €10 million once he’s played 60 matches. A senior Benfica source describes the final €10 million as an “easy bonus.” It’s an expensive deal, but one Liverpool think is worth the large sums of cash.