Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez has been earmarked as a summer target for Barcelona as they prepare to offload Robert Lewandowski.
Liverpool star Darwin Nunez could be offered a route out of Anfield when the transfer window reopens for business in the summer as La Liga giants Barcelona have pinpointed the Uruguayan as a potential long-term replacement for Robert Lewandowski, according to The Sun.
The Reds are already braced for plenty of change in the coming weeks as boss Jurgen Klopp is preparing to step down from his position at the end of the season, having run out of energy during another campaign which has seen his charges battling for the Premier League title and achieving Carabao Cup glory.
Arne Slot is edging towards being appointed as the German tactician’s successor, thanks to Liverpool agreeing a compensation package worth up to £9.4million with his current employers Feyenoord, but members of the current squad may embark on a fresh challenge ahead of the new regime getting underway.
Barcelona Eyeing Nunez Summer Deal
La Liga heavyweights have been searching for a Lewandowski replacement
Nunez has emerged as a shock target for Barcelona, according to The Sun, as head coach Xavi has set his sights on offloading Lewandowski during a mass clear-out in the summer transfer window after missing out on the La Liga title to arch-rivals Real Madrid this weekend.
The report suggests that the Spanish heavyweights have been informed that they need to slash their salary cap to just over £174million, leading to them being open to cashing in on the Poland international as he is on a contract which allows him to pocket close to £450,000-per-week, and they are eyeing the Liverpool marksman as a potential acquisition.
Although Nunez will go into Sunday’s clash with Champions League qualification-chasers Tottenham Hotspur having found the back of the net 18 times this season, while also providing a further 13 assists for his teammates, he has been guilty of failing to take advantage of numerous golden opportunities as his current employers’ challenge for the Premier League title has waned in recent weeks.
Statistics highlight that the striker has been posting better figures than Lewandowski in various metrics since the campaign got underway, and he is firmly in Xavi’s sights after the Barcelona head coach made a U-turn and agreed to remain in the hot-seat heading into next term.
Reds Will Not Sell Nunez for Cut-Price Fee
Liverpool are in a strong negotiating position if Barcelona decide to up the ante by making a formal offer for Nunez in the coming months as he still has four years remaining on a contract worth £140,000-per-week, and they would set lofty demands after they paid a lucrative sum to lure him to Anfield.
The Merseyside heavyweights parted with £85million to convince Portuguese side Benfica to sanction the South American’s exit in June 2022, resulting in him becoming the most expensive acquisition in the club’s entire history, and they would not be open to green-lighting his departure for a cut-price fee during the opening stages of a new era.
Barcelona’s interest in Nunez comes after he has sent his tally up to 33 goals in a Liverpool shirt, while he has contributed a further 17 assists over the course of 93 appearances as he prepares to do battle with Tottenham on Sunday afternoon and attempt to return to the starting line-up.
The 24-year-old’s development since his arrival from the Primeira Liga has resulted in Spanish football expert Guillem Balague claiming that he is ‘becoming a world-class player’, and it remains to be seen whether he will feature at the forefront of Slot’s plans when he arrives on Merseyside.
