Liverpool are close to completing the potential club record signing of Benfica striker Darwin Nunez in a deal which could be worth up to £85million.
After a week of talks over the structure of the deal, with the Portuguese club holding out for a 100m euros deal (£85m) with 80m euros (£68m) up front, the Reds’ new sporting director Julian Ward has negotiated a compromise.
The PA news agency understands Liverpool have agreed to pay an initial £64m (75m euros) with a possible £12.8m (15m euros) payable in appearance-related add-ons and £8.5m (10m euros) depending on team success.
If all conditions are met the 22-year-old Uruguay international’s transfer would eclipse the £75m paid to Southampton for center-back Virgil van Dijk in January 2018.
Nunez, who was left out of Uruguay’s squad for Saturday’s 5-0 friendly victory over Panama, is expected to begin the formalities of a medical on Monday which could take until Wednesday to complete.
Here we go confirmed for Darwin Núñez > Liverpool deal 🔴🤝 #LFC
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 12, 2022
▫️ Deal done yesterday, meeting in Portugal.
▫️ Darwin now in Spain.
▫️ Medicals tomorrow in England.
▫️ Contract until 2028, six year deal.
▫️ Liverpool will pay €80m fee plus €20m add ons.
Never been in doubt. pic.twitter.com/mfdk39IY7A
Personal terms are not anticipated to be a problem, with the player having expressed his desire to move to Liverpool and play for manager Jurgen Klopp despite interest from Manchester United, and the striker is set to sign a six-year contract.
Nunez scored 26 goals in 28 league appearances for Benfica last season and scored in both legs of their Champions League quarter-final against Klopp’s side in April.
Done deal. Darwin Nunez set to undergo medical tomorrow. Fee €75 million potentially rising to €100 million. Six-year contract.#LFC 🤝https://t.co/BNqfWzRzMj
— James Pearce (@JamesPearceLFC) June 12, 2022
He will arrive at Anfield as a direct replacement for Sadio Mane, who with one year left on his current looks set to move to Bayern Munich.
The club have already rejected two offers for the 30-year-old from the Bundesliga champions which they considered derisory and are holding out for a fee in excess of £40m for a player who scored 23 times last season.
