Liverpool manager Arne Slot
Liverpool manager Arne Slot
Fabrizio Romano has revealed a Liverpool striker transfer has fallen through, while a direct alternative to the collapsed deal has been given the reporter’s signature ‘here we go’ confirmation.
Liverpool’s main focus in the transfer market right now is on the striker position. The Reds have made contact with Newcastle to officially register their interest in Alexander Isak and are prepared to pay a British record fee of £120m to seal a deal.
If unable to turn Newcastle’s head, Liverpool will give serious consideration to signing Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike instead.
That would again be a move that affects Newcastle given the Magpies are determined to both sign Ekitike and retain Isak. Newcastle saw a bid worth £70m for Ekitike rejected on Tuesday but haven’t given up hope of striking an agreement.
In any case, what is clear is Liverpool will sign a new striker who’ll take the place of Darwin Nunez.
The expectation throughout much of June and the first half of July was Nunez would join Napoli.
The Serie A champions tabled a bid worth around €50m and would have had no issues agreeing personal terms with Nunez if agreeing a fee with Liverpool.
However, transfer guru Romano has now taken to X to confirm Napoli have pulled the plug on signing Nunez.
Explaining why, and also confirming who Napoli will sign instead, Romano stated: “Napoli have informed Liverpool tonight that Darwin Nunez deal can be considered off.
“Napoli will sign [Udinese’s Lorenzo] Lucca as new striker despite Nunez opening doors to the move, fee considered too high.”
Napoli are signing Lucca on an initial season-long loan for a fee of €9m. The loan will contain an obligation to buy worth €26m.
Prior reporting from Romano revealed Liverpool were seeking around €70m from Nunez’s sale – roughly €20m higher than Napoli’s only bid.
What now for Darwin Nunez?
The Napoli route has closed, though Liverpool and Nunez are still expected to part ways this summer.
Earlier on Tuesday it emerged multiple Saudi Pro League sides had taken the first steps towards signing the 26-year-old.
Nunez came close to joining Al Nassr in January, only for Liverpool to torpedo the move despite its advanced state.
The Reds were competing for trophies in four competitions at that time and ultimately chose not to weaken Arne Slot’s squad mid-season.
Liverpool would have sold Nunez if able to sign a direct replacement in the same window. But given it’s since emerged Isak is their No 1 target and there was virtually zero chance Newcastle would have sold the Swede mid-season, Liverpool chose to retain Nunez until the summer.
And despite the Napoli move falling through, Liverpool may yet be thankful it did given the greater sums the Saudi sides can offer.
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