Report: Liverpool target is on his way to the Premier League for £42m but the Reds are missing out

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Liverpool target Matheus Nunes is on his way to the Premier League as Sporting agree a £42m transfer fee with Wolves, according to reports. The Reds will miss out.

Both Record and the Guardian report that Sporting have agreed a fee with Wolves to transfer Matheus Nunes. The fee is an initial £38m that could rise with add-ons.

Wolves have been heavily linked with the midfielder and appear to have sealed the deal. It’s a club record for them, too, as they meet Nunes’s release clause.

This comes after claims that Sporting wouldn’t sell Nunes this summer. His manager openly talked about the player staying, claiming he’d already rejected an offer to go. O Jogo also said that Nunes would remain with the club until at least January as Sporting didn’t need funds.

However, Wolves paying the release clause took that out of the club’s hands.

Wolves agree Matheus Nunes transfer

There has been plenty of speculation that Liverpool wanted Nunes, particularly after Thiago’s injury. Correio da Manha pushed that idea as recently as this week, while the Guardian’s article also mentions the Reds.

But it wasn’t to be and Wolves look set to get Nunes. That should really tell us two things – Liverpool didn’t like the price for Nunes and they didn’t see him as a player they had to sign.

We don’t doubt that they like him. For the right price, perhaps something could have happened at Anfield as Nunes ticks just about every box that Liverpool like.

£42m was clearly not worth it, though. Maybe that’s simply because they don’t think he’s worth it or perhaps they want to use that money elsewhere. Because the optimistic take here is certainly that Liverpool have eyes on Jude Bellingham and don’t want to move from that plan.

Bellingham won’t leave Borussia Dortmund until 2023 but we expect Liverpool to be involved. Spending big on Nunes could both have cut the funds for any deal and added another body for the Englishman to compete with. That possibly wasn’t worth it in Liverpool’s eyes.

Regardless, they’re not signing Nues but we will get to see him up close at Anfield this season. Hopefully, this isn’t one the Reds come to regret.