Liverpool Sets Reduced Fee for Darwin Nunez as Napoli Looks to Secure Summer Transfer

Liverpool has reportedly designated a lower transfer fee for Darwin Nunez, as Napoli shows strong interest in securing the striker this summer. Despite signing Nunez from Benfica for £85 million in 2022, the club is now open to selling the player after he played a limited role under new manager Arne Slot.

Last season, Nunez scored seven goals but only started eight Premier League matches, with Slot guiding Liverpool to an impressive title victory. The 25-year-old forward is keen to remain in Europe and isn’t driven solely by financial concerns. However, interest from Saudi clubs, such as Al-Nassr, persists, with offers reportedly reaching up to £70 million.

According to Alfredo Pedulla, Liverpool is willing to accept as little as €50 million (£42.7 million) plus additional bonuses for Nunez, significantly lower than their initial investment. Napoli has already proposed a package valued at around €43 million and aims to finalize the deal swiftly to avoid losing out to rivals.

The Serie A champions are actively seeking a reinforcement at the No 9 position to lessen their dependency on Romelu Lukaku, who scored 14 goals last season. Napoli’s manager, Antonio Conte, has expressed interest in Nunez and is exploring other options, including Lorenzo Lucca from Udinese, to strengthen their attacking options.

Nunez’s contract at Liverpool includes 40 goals and 26 assists in 143 appearances, but he has reportedly given the go-ahead to leave this summer. The player’s preference is to stay in Europe rather than move to the Middle East, despite Saudi clubs’ ongoing interest.

Meanwhile, Liverpool continues to explore other striker options, with targets like Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike under consideration as they aim to bolster their attacking line-up for the upcoming season.