Liverpool complete signing of striker Darwin Nunez from Benfica
Liverpool have signed Benfica striker Darwin Nunez for what could potentially be a club-record fee.
The deal - which remains subject to international clearance and a work permit - has seen the 22-year-old sign a six-year contract.
According to various reports, the Reds have paid an initial fee of £64million.
His fee could rise as high as £85m, which would eclipse by £10m the sum they paid Southampton for centre-back Virgil van Dijk in January 2018, but for that to happen the Uruguay international will have to meet every condition – ranging from goalscoring targets to winning the Champions League – set out in the deal.
Liverpool expect the eventual cost to be at least £75m providing Nunez plays regularly.
Nunez scored 26 goals from 15.73 xG in Portugal's Primeira Liga last season, adding four assists from 5.17 xA.
He also found his scoring touch in the Champions League, netting six goals from 3.48 xG. That included goals in both quarter-final legs against Liverpool.
A number of clubs were linked with Nunez - with Newcastle looking at the forward during the January transfer window.
While the fee is high, the striker’s wages are believed to be in the region of £140,000-a-week which makes the deal more palatable considering they are offloading Sadio Mane, one of the club’s higher earners, to Bayern Munich and hope to recoup about £40m from the sale of the 30-year-old.
