Liverpool are now expecting an offer from Napoli for out-of-favour striker Darwin Nunez, and reports in Italy have claimed the English champions’ asking price.
Nunez could swap one title-winning side for another this summer as he is made surplus to requirements at Liverpool and a priority target for Napoli.
On Monday, transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano reported that the Uruguayan had given the “green light” for the Serie A winners to push forward in talks over a deal.
This has now been corroborated by The Athletic‘s David Ornstein, who writes that “interest has been registered and an offer is expected in due course.”
Napoli are described as the “most serious contenders” and with Liverpool “looking to sell” their No. 9 is “open to moving to Naples.”
Liverpool may only recoup HALF of what they paid
Italian journalist Alfredo Pedulla, in an exclusive for Football Italia, has now claimed Nunez has “prioritised a move to Napoli” and suggested the fees involved.
Pedulla claims Napoli are preparing to offer in the region of €43 million (£36.7m) but “are aware that Liverpool’s asking price is around €50 million (£42.6m).”
Clearly, if that proves to be true, the two clubs are not too far apart in their valuations and a compromise would almost certainly be reached in talks.
If Liverpool are to accept a fee in that ballpark it would resemble a considerable loss on their previous club-record outlay of £85 million to bring him to Anfield from Benfica in 2022.
But that may also be indicative of the major disappointment around his form since joining, with 40 goals in 143 appearances – an average of one every 185.8 minutes – and a litany of frustrating misses and offside runs.
However, Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes is enhancing his reputation in the current transfer window as a tough negotiator able to leverage a club’s interest.
That showed with a deal worth as much as £10 million struck with Real Madrid to allow Trent Alexander-Arnold to join a month early for the Club World Cup.
Sizeable fees were also agreed for Jarell Quansah to join Bayer Leverkusen (£35m) and Caoimhin Kelleher to move to Brentford with a year left on his contract (£18m), while even £3 million for Nat Phillips‘ switch to West Brom is impressive.
Whether Pedulla is to be believed or not remains to be seen, but with Napoli not the only club considering an offer for Nunez – including sides in the Saudi Pro League – Hughes can be expected to maximise his value.
