Liverpool have officially agreed terms with Benfica for the signing of Darwin Nunez this summer to the tune of £85m (including a £64m fee up front with the rest coming in add-ons).
The Merseysiders beat out competition from Manchester United and Atletico Madrid among other reported suitors, with the Uruguayan international identified as the ideal replacement for outgoing star Sadio Mane.
Official and here we go confirmed!Darwin Núñez, new Liverpool player on a permanent deal from Benfica. 🚨📑 #LFC
Benfica statement confirms “deal now signed for €75m fee plus add-ons to reach €100m package”.
Núñez will sign until 2028, medical today.
Never been in doubt. pic.twitter.com/DEroWLCBH7
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 13, 2022
The deal sees the 22-year-old sign on a five-year deal that will keep him at Anfield until 2028 – two years beyond the expiration date of Jurgen Klopp’s current terms.
The former Almeria hitman enjoyed a prolific campaign with the Primeira Liga side, registering 38 goal contributions in 41 games (across all competitions), two of which came against his new club in the Champions League quarter-finals.
In the centre-forward, we’ll be getting a versatile attacker capable of featuring out wide on the left-flank and playing straight down the middle – two positions Mane has favoured of late in the forward line.
There’s plenty of raw pace to admire in Nunez, who is also a more than adept header of the ball, which is a quality that will no doubt appeal to our marauding fullbacks who have often been lacking a clear target man to aim for in the box.