Journalist Alex Crook has shared what sources have told him about Darwin Nunez’s proposed move to Liverpool.
Speaking to TalkSPORT, Crook claimed that a ‘trustworthy source’ had tipped Liverpool off as ‘genuine contenders’ to sign the striker.
“We spoke about Liverpool earlier, about Sadio Mane and would they replace him,” said Crook.
“Darwin Nunez, there is genuine interest from Manchester United, but a deal for him is not as close as has been suggested in the Portuguese media. I received a text message from a trustworthy source on Friday that Liverpool are genuinely contenders for him.”
As Liverpool enter into negotiations with Bayern Munich for Mane, Nunez has quickly emerged as the front-runner to replace him.
Liverpool won’t break the bank for Nunez
At the moment, it would seem that all roads lead to Nunez. After confirmation of Liverpool’s interest on Sunday evening, this adds even more fuel to the fire.
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A lot would seemingly depend on whether Liverpool are able to recoup their full asking price for Mane.
The Reds look to be playing a little bit of hardball with Bayern as they try to secure Liverpool’s number 10 on a low-cost deal.
The Germans are reportedly hoping to use Thiago Alcantara’s move to Liverpool in 2020 as a yardstick. But The Reds are reportedly looking for far more to let Mane leave this summer.
That could be partly down to trying to fund the push for Nunez. As the summer transfer window has steamed into view, valuations of the 22-year-old have shot through the roof.
As we know, Liverpool like to live within their means when it comes to transfers. If they can’t extract maximum value for Mane, they certainly won’t go in for Nunez above what they deem to be acceptable.
The continued presence of Man United should cause some urgency amongst the Liverpool decision makers though. United have no such qualms about paying over the odds, and if Liverpool don’t move decsiviely, they could lose out on one of their top targets.
This looks like a story that could rumble on through the summer, so strap yourselves in!