Darwin Nunez, a Uruguayan attacker, is on the verge of joining Liverpool in the Premier League, but he could have played for FC Barcelona. Luis Suarez, an ex-Barcelona striker, suggested his countrymen to his former club for £15 million, but the Catalan giants refused to budge. Benfica will return the € 24.5 million spent on Nunez in 2020 and earn handsomely from his move to Liverpool, thanks to the 22-year-rapid old’s journey from Uruguay to mainstream Europe. Darwin Nunez, a Uruguayan international, may have been on the FC Barcelona squad instead of opting for the Premier League over the Portuguese top flight.
Nunez has snatched the spotlight as one of the game’s up-and-coming stars, thanks to his remarkable efforts in the recently finished season.
Last season, the 22-year-old striker scored 34 goals in 41 appearances for Benfica in all competitions, including six goals in UCL games, two of which he scored against Liverpool, his new club.
Nunez, who has been linked with a move to Liverpool, could have been leading the line for Barcelona if the Catalan giants had heeded Luis Suarez’s advice.
Suarez, who formerly played for Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, recommended Nunez to the Blaugrana after seeing his countrymen play for Almeria, but Barca decided he was too young to make the move.
Barca’s loss was Benfica’s gain, with the Portuguese club earning more than €80 million from his move to Liverpool. “I told Barcelona about [Nunez] when he was at Almeria,” Suarez acknowledged to journalist Gerard Romero in 2021, according to GOAL. “When they inquired, I told them, ‘Keep an eye on this one, he’s got something interesting about him…’ ‘No, he’s in Almeria, he’s too young,’ they said.
According to transfer market expert Fabrizio Romano, Benfica and Liverpool have agreed to sell Darwin Nunez to Liverpool until 2028, pending a medical, for a fee of €75 million with add-ons to complete a €100 million deal.
Darwin Nunez is said to have turned down Manchester United’s advances. The Benfica striker has been a priority transfer target for United, but reports have emerged that he is opting to stay put in order to get better bids.
Nunez’s outstanding achievements this season have piqued the interest of elite teams and the entire football globe. In all competitions, he has scored 32 goals. Nunez is said to be frustrated by United’s absence of Champions League participation next season. After a shambolic season in which they changed managers mid-season, United are ready to compete in the UEFA Europa League.
