Darwin Nunez is poised to complete a move to Al Hilal with his frustrating spell at Liverpool nearing an end.
The Saudi Pro League club have had a long-standing interest in the Uruguay international, who was also a target for their Riyadh rivals Al Nassr in January.
Nassr, who eventually signed Jhon Duran from Aston Villa, saw a £60 million bid rejected as the Reds did not want to sell in the middle of what proved to be a Premier League-winning season.
Nunez’s move is reported to be worth an initial £46m, with more in add-ons once the final details have been ironed out.
Liverpool had allowed the 26-year-old’s representatives to speak to Al Hilal – AC Milan made a late move but were not able to compete with Hilal's financial package – in an attempt to reach an agreement before talks were opened between the clubs.
There is still some negotiating to do between Al Hilal and Liverpool but Nunez’s three-year stay at Anfield, in which he scored 40 goals in 143 appearances but became increasingly inconsistent in front of goal, appears over.
His departure will take Liverpool's income from sales this summer to almost £200m, with more likely to follow with £40m-rated midfielder Harvey Elliott in talks with Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig over a move.
It also opens up a space in the forward line, which has already been strengthened with the arrival of Hugo Ekitike as part of a near-£300m spend, and the club's number nine shirt.
Liverpool retain an interest in Newcastle’s Alexander Isak after having a £110m bid rejected last week.
The Sweden international has been told to train away from the main squad having asked to leave, absented himself from their preseason tour to the Far East last month and spent a week working on his fitness at former club Real Sociedad.
Meanwhile, Elliott has been targeted by former manager Jurgen Klopp in his role as Red Bull’s head of global soccer, according to German newspaper Bild.
The 22-year-old, player of the tournament as England won the European Under-21 Championship this summer, made 28 appearances last season but only three were starts in the Premier League or Champions League.
His opportunities are likely to be even more limited heading into the new campaign and, after featuring in Monday’s 4-1 win over Athletic Bilbao, he was last to leave the pitch, waving and blowing kisses to all four sides of the ground.
Leipzig want Elliott as a replacement for Xavi Simons, who looks set to leave for Chelsea, and the Bundesliga club are currently trying to lure the player to Germany.
Son 'will perform' at LAFC
South Korea star Son Heung-min said he was “here to win” as Major League Soccer's Los Angeles FC welcomed the arrival of the “global icon” from Tottenham.
The 33-year-old will reportedly cost an MLS record $26 million transfer fee, according to ESPN, after a decade in the Premier League where he became a household name.
“I'm here to win, and I will perform,” he said at an introductory press conference at BMO Stadium that was packed with US and South Korean media, fans and luminaries, including Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.
He was already itching to get to work with his new teammates, after watching them beat Mexican club Tigres UANL 2-1 in a Leagues Cup match on Tuesday night amid rabid support from fans energised by rumours of his signing.
“It was just, like, insane,” he said. “I just wanted to run on to the pitch and show my performance.”
An emotional Son announced on Saturday in his homeland that he would be leaving Spurs, just months after ending the club's 17-year trophy drought by lifting the Europa League as captain.
He leaves as Tottenham's fifth-highest goalscorer of all-time with 173 goals in 454 appearances.
“Sonny is a global icon and one of the most dynamic and accomplished players in world football,” said LAFC co-president and general manager John Thorrington.
“We are proud that he has chosen Los Angeles for the next chapter of his extraordinary career.”
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RESULT
Manchester City 5 Swansea City 0
Man City: D Silva (12'), Sterling (16'), De Bruyne (54' ), B Silva (64' minutes), Jesus (88')
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