Liverpool Agrees to Deal for Benfica’s Darwin Nunez Worth Up to $100 Million

The 22-year-old Uruguayan led Portugal’s Primeira Liga in scoring with 26 goals in 28 games last season.

With Liverpool set to lose Sadio Mané in a summer transfer, the club has a replacement lined up in Darwin Núñez. 

Benfica confirmed that Liverpool has a deal in place for €75 million ($78.9 million) plus a potentially €25 million in add-ons. If the figures hold true and some of the add-ons are reached, the transfer fee could be the highest in Liverpool history. 

After Erling Haaland, who is joining Premier League champion Manchester City, Núñez has been considered one of the most coveted transfer targets of the summer with Manchester United and Arsenal having also been linked to the Uruguayan international. 

The 22-year-old had a breakout season with 34 goals in 41 appearances for Benfica, including a Primeira Liga-leading 26 goals in 28 matches. Núñez also scored against Liverpool in both of the clubs’ Champions League quarterfinal meetings this past season.  

“Extremely good looking boy, huh? And a decent player as well,” Klopp said about Núñez’s performance during the Champions League quarterfinals. “Really good. I knew before, of course, but he played pretty much in front of me with his tough battles with Ibrahima Konaté.

“He was physically strong, quick, was calm around his finish. I always say in these situations if he stays healthy, it’s a big career ahead of him.”

The potential arrival of Núñez fills Liverpool’s need for a versatile forward with the looming departure of Mané. At the end of May, multiple reports claimed that Mané will leave the club with a year left on his contract with Bayern Munich emerging as the expected landing spot. Meanwhile, PFA Player of the Year Mohamed Salah is also entering the final year of his contract amid varying reports of his ongoing contract negotiations. 

Liverpool barely missed out on a historic quadruple last season. The club took home the FA Cup and League Cup, but finished one point behind Man City in the Premier League title race. A week later, it lost to Real Madrid in the Champions League final.