Darwin Nunez looks set to become a Liverpool player this summer having beaten off interest from Manchester United for his signature.
The Uruguayan striker has been one of the most talked-about players in world football in recent weeks, with Manchester United having been strongly linked before Liverpool stole a march on negotiations.
Earlier this week, reports emerged that Liverpool had agreed personal terms with Nunez ahead of a move to Anfield, though Portuguese journalist Pedro Sepulveda told Sky Sports on Thursday that Manchester United were still in the hunt, with the club having a meeting with Nunez’s agent, Jorge Mendes, in order to try convince him of a move to Old Trafford.
However, Sepulveda has now said that Nunez’s move to Liverpool is ‘done’, with United now said to be ‘out of the race’ to land the Benfica number nine.
In his reports earlier this week, he said that Liverpool have offered Benfica a package worth a club-record €100 million (£85m), the deal comprising of a guaranteed €80m (£68m) plus add-ons of €20m (£17m), and now says the Reds are just awaiting the Portuguese side’s acceptance before a move is finalised.
❗️It's DONE. @Darwinn99 is going to @LFC . @ManUtd is out of the race. Contract of 5 years with a salary of 6 million euros net per season. Darwin Núñez already announced the decision to his family and friends. Liverpool is just waiting for @SLBenfica 'yes'. pic.twitter.com/4O3Oq0RguQ
— Pedro Sepúlveda (@pedromsepulveda) June 10, 2022
The 22-year-old has been one of the most prolific strikers on the continent this campaign, netting 32 times in 40 starts for Benfica this season as he helped lead the club to the Champions League quarter-finals.
Two of those goals came in their quarter-final clash with Liverpool, with Jurgen Klopp praising the young strikers’ ability following the meeting in April.
“Really good, really good,” Klopp said in his post match press conference. “I knew before, of course, but he played pretty much in front of me with his tough battles with Ibrahima Konate.
“He was physically strong, quick, was calm around his finish. Good, really good. I always say in these situations if he is healthy, it’s a big career ahead of him.”
