The Liverpool transfer rumor mill may be primarily occupied with incoming deals right now, but there is sure to be lots of outgoing activity this summer too. Among those to depart could be Darwin Nunez, and a suitor whom he might favor has just emerged.
Liverpool does not need to sell to buy this summer, having only added Federico Chiesa to the ranks since Arne Slot arrived ahead of last season. But even though the anticipated arrival of Florian Wirtz is not contingent on departures, there is bound to be some reshaping as the coach begins to really put his stamp on the squad.
Caoimhin Kelleher has already left for Brentford, finally pursuing the chance to become first-choice elsewhere. Jarell Quansah is being linked to Bayer Leverkusen, while a move in the other direction for Wirtz is bound to raise doubts in the mind of Harvey Elliott.
Meanwhile, it seems likely that Nunez has at last reached the end of the road at Liverpool. After three seasons, he has failed to find any consistent form, and Slot's preferred option now is surely to recoup as much of the initial outlay as possible and put it toward a truly elite number nine.
Various names have been mentioned, including Hugo Ekitike, Joao Pedro, and of course Alexander Isak. Most recently, Liverpool has been tipped to go after Victor Osimhen.
And that particular pursuit could end up working well for everyone. That's because Napoli, to whom Osimhen is registered, is considering Nunez as a potential replacement.
According to Football Italia, Napoli is "pushing" for Nunez. It has been in touch with the Uruguayan recently.
Rasmus Winther Hojlund #9 of Manchester United and Leon Jones #4 of Hong Kong vie for the ball during the postseason friendly match between Manchester United and Hong Kong at Hong Kong Stadium on May 30, 2025 in Hong Kong, China.
Rasmus Hojlund of Manchester United. (Image: Qin Zhicheng/VCG via Getty Images)
That comes after Antonio Conte was convinced to stay at the club by the promise of new signings. The Italian side is now committed to delivering some exciting arrivals.
Napoli has kept its options open in pursuit of a new striker, however. Along with Nunez, it has shortlisted Lorenzo Lucca from Udinese and Rasmus Hojlund from Manchester United.
The Man Utd forward appears more likely to be Inter-bound. Even so, his future could yet have a knock-on effect on Nunez.
The Liverpool forward may well be hoping for the Napoli move to materialize. Linked persistently to Saudi Arabia, he has a clear preference to remain in Europe at a high level.
Napoli would fulfil that wish for Nunez. It would afford him the opportunity to play in the Champions League next season, and to defend the Serie A title under a well-respected coach.
But whether Liverpool and Napoli could reach an agreement remains to be seen. Nunez might prefer not to move to Saudi Arabia, and obviously has the final say in such matters, but Richard Hughes will no doubt be inclined to favor the bidding power of the Gulf state.
Napoli would be unlikely to match that. A mutually-beneficial deal involving Osimhen may yet be the most likely path to an agreement, although it's unclear how interested Liverpool really is in the Nigerian marksman.
But it's a reminder that despite his tough stint at Anfield, there is still a market for Nunez among some big clubs. Hopefully, he can get his wish this summer in a manner that means Liverpool doesn't miss out on a payday.