Liverpool are keen to find a buyer for Darwin Nunez in the summer transfer window, but the Uruguay international could dictate his own future after Florian Wirtz arrives
Darwin Nunez of Liverpool
Darwin Nunez's Liverpool exit may not be straightforward(Image: Andrew Powell/Getty Images)
Liverpool may have to find a new buyer for Darwin Nunez, with the Uruguay international not keen on a move to Saudi Arabia at this stage in his career. Liverpool want to sell Nunez in the summer transfer window in part to help fund the club-record deal for Florian Wirtz, but face a few obstacles.
The Reds are still in negotiations with Bayer Leverkusen over the structure of a deal for Wirtz. Their latest offer, submitted on Friday, consisted of £100million plus £14m in add-ons. Both sides are still confident the transfer will go through and Liverpool are looking at ways to raise funds.
The sale of Nunez represents one of the best ways to do so, with the 25-year-old still having three years on his contract. He struggled for regular game time under Arne Slot last season, starting just eight Premier League games, and has hinted that he would like to leave this summer.
Nunez is Liverpool’s record signing, having joined from Benfica in June 2022 for £85m, made up of £64m plus add-ons, and the club are keen to recoup as much of that as possible. The Athletic reports that the club rejected an offer of €70m (£60m) from Al-Nassr in January, but have now fielded more interest from Saudi Arabia.
READ MORE: Transfer news LIVE: Liverpool 'close' to Wirtz move, striker rejects Man Utd, City sign Reijnders
Liverpool were reportedly contacted by Al-Hilal on Monday and would be keen to do business. However, Nunez is understood to favour staying in Europe, with a move to Spain or Italy his preference.
The Uruguay international has been linked with Atletico Madrid, as well as Italian champions Napoli. It remains to be seen whether either of those clubs step up their reported interest in Nunez, who has contributed 40 goals and 26 assists in 143 games for Liverpool over the past three seasons.
Earlier in the season, Slot was forced to respond to suggestions that Nunez had been benched for financial reasons, with Liverpool reportedly trying to avoid triggering a further payment to Benfica of around £4.2m.
Darwin Nunez of Liverpool celebrates
Darwin Nunez could leave Liverpool after winning the Premier League
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However, the Dutchman is not oblivious to Nunez’s unhappiness at sitting on the bench. “I don’t know exactly what is going to happen. One of the main strengths we had this season is that everybody accepted his role,” Slot said recently.
“And his role sometimes could be to start every single game, hardly be taken off, sometimes be taken off. It could be sometimes not starting every single game, sometimes not playing hardly minutes.”
Nunez is just one of a group of players who could leave Liverpool this summer. Harvey Elliott and Kostas Tsimikas are both expected to leave in the summer transfer window, while there is some doubt over Luis Diaz, who is being targeted by Barcelona, although Liverpool don’t want to sell the Colombia international. Andy Robertson has also admitted his place will come under threat if Milos Kerkez arrives in a £45m deal from Bournemouth.
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