According to Sky Sports, Liverpool have agreed an initial fee of around £85million, potentially rising to £100million, with Benfica for highly-rated Uruguayan Darwin Nunez. The 22-year-old is expected to sign a six-year deal with the Merseyside outfit.

A fantastic campaign last season

Nunez is regarded as one of the brightest young forwards in the world game. His performances and goal output last season at Benfica raised the attention of some of Europe’s biggest clubs. The Uruguayan hotshot scored 32 goals in all competitions and produced four assists.

Many observers have underestimated his goalscoring ability because some perceive the Primera Liga as inferior to Europe’s big five leagues. However, six of his goals came in the Champions League, as the Eagles qualified for the quarter-finals of Europe’s elite; that run was ironically ended by Liverpool, although Nunez scored against the Reds.

His performances in the two legs of that Champions League were obviously enough to convince Liverpool head coach Jurgen Klopp and their recruitment team that he was an ideal summer signing.

A perfect replacement for Sadio Mane

One of Liverpool’s most consistent performers of recent years, Senegalese forward Sadio Mane, looks set to join German behemoths Bayern Munich. The former Southampton star has reportedly agreed on terms with the Bavarians.

A fee has not yet been agreed upon between the two clubs and is proving a major stumbling block. However, with just a year left on his contract, the men from Merseyside are expected to reach a compromise with the German giants over a fee. The forward will be a massive loss, as he has played a big part in Klopp’s successful era. It seems the right time for both the player and Liverpool for the pair to part company, however.

Mane’s adaptability has been a significant asset for Liverpool in recent seasons. He has played all across the Reds frontline. While the 30-year-old and his likely replacements are very different players, the expected new arrival is also just as versatile. The youngster is primarily regarded as a central forward. Although he has played as a number ten and on the left-wing for Benfica this season too. This versatility only adds to the appeal of a young player who already offers so much.

An exciting player to add to a top forward line

In the not-so-distant past, Liverpool’s forward line of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino was seen by many as the best attack in the European game. However, all three players are either in their thirties or, in Salah’s case, late ’20s.

The Reds have already brought in the likes of Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota in recent transfer windows as potential long-term replacements for the ageing forward players. Both players have already shown flashes of their ability. It is not ridiculous to think that Diaz, Jota and Nunez could be Liverpool’s new front three in the near future.

Some have questioned Nunez’s fee, and some observers have labelled the signing ‘a gamble’. However, judging by Liverpool’s previous record in the transfer market and Nunez’s displays last season, the Reds have pulled off another top forward signing.

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Will Darwin Nunez be a success at Liverpool?