Liverpool agree personal terms with Darwin Nunez

Liverpool have agreed personal terms with Darwin Nunez and have reached an agreement in principal with Benfica over a deal worth £85.5m [€100m], according to various reports.

Jurgen Klopp is in the market for another versatile forward to replace Sadio Mane. The Senegalese star is widely expected to join Bayern Munich this summer after failing to agree terms over a new contract at Anfield.

Liverpool have moved swiftly to find a replacement and Nunez has been touted as the man Klopp wants. Widespread rumours earlier this week suggested that Liverpool were going all-out to land the talented South American.

Things have moved quickly and The Athletic are reporting today that Liverpool have now agreed personal terms with Nunez after opening formal talks to sign the Uruguayan international from Benfica.

The Athletic article is co-written by David Ornstien and James Pearce – who are both prominent football journalists – but they don’t provide any further details on the supposed contract terms such as salary of number of years.

This report comes after Portuguese outlet Record published a story today claiming that Liverpool have now agreed a deal worth £68.4m [€80m] up front plus £17.1m [€20m] in add ons with Benfica to sign Nunez.

Ornstein and Pearce insist that no agreement has been found between the two clubs as yet, but they do agree with Record that the deal is expected to be worth €100m [€80m up front and €20m add ons].

We’ll have to wait and see whether the British press follow Record in claiming that a deal has been struck as the Portuguese outlet has led this story from the off, but it certainly looks like Nunez is edging closer to becoming a Liverpool player.

The 22-year-old will be an exciting addition to Klopp’s squad as he’s developed into one of the hottest young forwards in European football since joining Benfica from Almeria in the summer of 2020.

He scored 34 goals in 41 appearances last season, including two goals against Liverpool in the Champions League, and he’s attracted interest from a number of top European clubs ahead of the summer.

However, it appears he’s heading to Anfield and he should be a terrific replacement for Mane as Nunez can also play out wide or through the middle, and has his best years ahead of him.