Reds also confirm!
This article first appeared on June 12 and was updated when Liverpool made the transfer official.
Darwin Núñez will join Liverpool. Portuguese club Benfica issued a stock warning on Monday morning, 02:37 a.m. CET, that the club has reached an agreement with Liverpool. Núñez will join the Reds in a deal of up to €100 million. Benfica will receive an initial €75 million, plus €25 million in performance-based bonuses. Liverpool confirmed the transfer on Wednesday evening. Núñez has signed a six-year contract.
“This is super news, really super news,” Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp said in a club statement. “I’m very grateful to everyone at the club for making it happen. We’ve shown decisiveness and ambition in equal measure. “Darwin is a wonderful player; already really good but so much potential to get even better. That’s why it’s so exciting, to be honest. His age, his desire, his hunger to be even better than he currently is. His belief in our project and what we are looking to do as a club.”
We’ve got some ñews that we think you might like… #DarwinDay pic.twitter.com/C70mBnzu4c
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) June 14, 2022
Once all bonuses have been hit, Núñez could become the 13th player to cost €100 million or more. At Benfica, João Félix would remain the most expensive player ever sold by the club. Furthermore, Núñez could become the most expensive transfer in Liverpool’s history—the current record is held by defender Virgil van Dijk (to Liverpool’s record transfers). Núñez’s former club UD Almería are also set to benefit. The LaLiga 2 club received €24 million from Benfica in the summer of 2020. The contract also included a sell-on clause worth 20%, which could see the deal grow to €44 million once all bonuses are hit.
Bale, Dembélé & Co.: All €100m deals at a chronological order
Núñez to Liverpool – Most valuable player in Portugal
Núñez recently underlined his value in the recent Portugal market value update. After a mixed first season, the 22-year-old highlighted this season why Benfica paid a record €24 million to UD Almería. The striker scored a league-high 26 goals and added another six goals in the Champions League including against Bayern Munich, Barcelona, and Liverpool. Núñez, who was already the most valuable player in Portugal increased his market value by another €15 million to €55 million.
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