Darwin Núñez has told family and friends that he is set to join Liverpool this summer as Manchester United have fallen out of the race for the striker.
The Uruguayan is set to put pen to paper on a 5-year deal worth €6 million per season as he closes in on a blockbuster move to the North West of England.
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Both Liverpool and Manchester United are understood to have been battling it out for Núñez in recent weeks but according to Pedro Supulveda of SIC Noticias, a Portuguese news outlet, the former have won the race for the starlet.
As reported by David Ornstein on Thursday, Núñez has agreed personal terms with Liverpool but the fee represented the only remaining barrier preventing the deal from being completed. This issue now looks to have been resolved, with a deal in the region of £85 million supposedly being agreed between the two clubs.
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Liverpool are now just awaiting the green light from Benfica for the signature to become official.
It’s believed that the Reds’ offer of Champions League football and a guaranteed starring role in the squad convinced the 22-year-old to reject Manchester United’s offer and head to Anfield. With United competing in the Europa League next season and Cristiano Ronaldo’s presence in their squad, Núñez was reportedly hesitant to join Eric Ten Haag’s rebuild at Old Trafford.
With Sadio Mane on the verge of a switch to Bayern Munich, Liverpool are in the market for a forward in this window and Jurgen Klopp identified the Benfica striker as the perfect replacement.
Núñez burst onto the scene in the 2021/22 campaign, scoring 34 goals in 41 appearances in all competitions for Benfica, including six in the Champions League. He has also broken onto the international scene, making 11 caps for Uruguay.
Featured Image Credit: AlamyTopics: Benfica, Champions League, Darwin Núñez, Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool, Manchester United, Premier League, Transfers, Liverpool Transfer News & Rumours
