Liverpool fans are preparing for one big party on Sunday as they aim to clinch the Premier League title.
The Reds have waited 35 years to lift the trophy in front of supporters and now need just one point against Tottenham this weekend to ensure that happens.
And although nothing is sorted just yet, talk is already starting to turn towards how Liverpool can become even better. Changes are set to be made this summer, with some players coming in and some going out.
One of those expected to leave is Darwin Nunez, who has failed to deliver consistently after arriving at Anfield three years ago.
With Nunez likely to leave, Arne Slot has not started the No.9 since early March. Although there have been legitimate, performance related reasons for Slot not trusting Nunez, there have been rumours that Liverpool will have to pay Benfica another fee if he starts one more match.
Given Nunez is preparing to go, that would make it unlikely he starts another game for Liverpool. Facing the press before the Tottenham game, Slot was asked if there was any truth to these reports.
Arne Slot addresses Darwin Nunez rumours
Liverpool paid far too much for Nunez back in 2022. The £64m up front fee was bad enough in itself, but with add-ons the full cost would come to £85m.
But as per Portuguese outlet A Bola earlier this week, Nunez has not yet reached the targets required to ensure that figure is paid. If he does not start one more match, Liverpool will save around £4.2m and will reportedly pay £77m in total for the Uruguayan.
Asked whether this is the reason he is not starting Nunez at the moment, Slot said that while there may be truth in the facts and figures of the deal, he is not being told what to do with his No.9.
“Do you always believe what journalists say?” smiled the Liverpool head coach. “Me neither. Sometimes you should, but sometimes it’s better not to believe everything that’s written about players. It’s completely new to me.”
“I’ve said many times I’m at a club where it’s really nice to work,” Slot continued. “It’s very important to have a great working environment and I have that with Richard [Hughes]. So, the last, last, last, last thing he would do is tell me ‘if you play him it would cost us this much’. That he would never, never, never do!
“I don’t even think if it’s true yes or no because we never talked about it, he never interferes with a line up. It might be true, but if a journalist says it, we have to balance it.”
Will Nunez still be Liverpool’s record signing?
Judging by Slot’s cheeky grin as he answered this intriguing question, we’re not totally convinced here.
Either way, it doesn’t really matter. Nunez has not been doing enough to justify starting games and if he had been, Slot would probably have played him.
Nevertheless, it all feeds into a slightly bizarre atmosphere around the former Benfica man heading into his last weeks as a Liverpool player.
Slot said Nunez wasn’t feeling himself recently which was why he was left out for the last home game against West Ham. The 25-year-old returned last week at Leicester but did not make it off the bench. Something is clearly going on.
But no matter if Liverpool do manage to save a little bit of something by keeping Nunez on the bench, the £77m they have already paid still makes the striker the most expensive signing in Liverpool history.
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