Manchester United have been handed a blow in the pursuit of Benfica striker Darwin Nunez this summer, Portuguese outlet A Bola claims.
The Red Devils are keen on bolstering the centre-forward department this summer and Nunez has been one of the players that has been frequently linked with the club.
However, it appears they are no longer in the race. According to A Bola (via SportWitness), the Uruguayan is resisting interest from Man United due to the lack of Champions League football.
The 22-year-old is now being fancied to make the switch to Real Madrid, who recently failed in their attempts to land Kylian Mbappe on a free transfer agreement.
Benfica are said to demand €100 million (£85m) for their prized asset.
Our view:
Nunez had a superb 2021/22 season at Benfica, registering 34 goals and four assists from 41 appearances.
The Uruguayan found the back of the net against the likes of Ajax, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Liverpool in the Champions League, thereby proving his credentials in the big games.
He would be a quality acquisition for United with his excellent finishing and sheer pace on the counter-attack, but Champions League football looks set to prove a stumbling block.
The Red Devils have been regulars in Europe’s elite competition, but won’t be competing in it next term, having finished sixth in the recently-concluded Premier League campaign.
There are still several alternative targets United could pursue. Napoli’s Victor Osimhen could be one. The Nigerian has a productive season with 18 goals and six assists.
He registered those contributions in just 32 appearances, either side of a cheekbone fracture. While Nunez can also play on the left wing, Osimhem is a traditional number nine.
The 23-year-old could still be a good fit for United manager Erik ten Hag. The Dutch tactician found lot of success at Ajax playing with a similarly built striker in Sebastien Haller.
