Fans are expressing mixed feelings over the reports that Uruguayan striker Darwin Nuñez could be leaving the club by the end of the 2024/25 season.
The striker joined Liverpool from Benfica in the Portuguese top flight where he was held in high esteem and considered as one of the best young strikers in the world.
Since joining the Reds, however, he has only shone in bursts but has not set the world or Anfield on fire as many expected him to do. This season, he has only four goals in 22 matches across all competitions and has been displaced by Cody Gakpo as the club’s starting centre forward.
Still, he remains a vital cog in their machine and has been deployed to devastating effect by both Jürgen Klopp who brought him in during the 2022 summer transfer window, and Arne Slot who replaced the German in the summer.
His contract with the club runs till 2028 which means that his potential departure from Anfield is coming three years earlier than expected. The reports indicate that Liverpool are willing to let him go because they have their eyes on someone else.
Transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano confirmed the interest of a few unnamed parties – believed to be clubs from Saudi Arabia – in the striker, while other media sources claim that Liverpool will only do business with any club willing to spend at least £85 million.
Romano said on his YouTube channel: “What I can confirm at the moment is only that interest from Saudi in Darwin Nunez is genuine. There have been conversations to understand the situation of Darwin, the price tag and all these sorts of things.
“For sure there is interest. For sure, there is something in terms of contacts from Saudi, but at the moment there is not something advanced or concrete in terms of negotiations.
“We have to respect Liverpool in this story. Darwin is an important player for them. They spent important money on him, so before saying that Liverpool are selling Darwin Nunez, there is still plenty of things to do. At the moment, we are not at that stage. Interest yes, but at the moment still nothing advanced or concrete.”
The implication of this is that Nuñez could leave before the end of the 2024/25 season if the right offer, per Liverpool’s standards, is tabled before the club.
This will speed up their move for £25 million-rated 18-year-old striker, Stefanos Tzimas, who currently Plies his trade in the second division of German football.
