Liverpool set shock Darwin Nunez asking price as transfer 'favourites' emerge | OneFootball

Liverpool are willing to take a sizeable financial hit on Darwin Nunez this summer if it means being able to offload the misfiring striker, a report has claimed, setting an asking price of around £38m.

An inconsistent Nunez has struggled to command a starting place under Arne Slot this season and was courted by Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr during the January transfer window.

Liverpool are in the market for a new striker this summer, admiring Alexander Isak but highly likely to pursue someone much cheaper and more available, which would only worsen Nunez's prospects.

AS writes that, as it stands, Nunez would rather not move to Saudi Arabia. There is apparent interest from Nottingham Forest, who are still hoping to be in the Champions League next season, but Atletico Madrid are described as "favourites" in a move that would take the Uruguayan to Spain.

Nunez is said to have been the subject of positive "reviews" and would be open to joining Atletico.

Nunez is not a regular starter for Liverpool / Carl Recine/GettyImages

From Liverpool's perspective, the 25-year-old is a club record signing who cost a guaranteed £64m, and around a further £8m in add-ons three years in. Any money coming back would help shape the early stages of a squad rebuild by boosting the transfer budget.

But it may be that Liverpool are initially willing to sanction a loan for a nominal fee, as long as Atletico – or whoever – covers Nunez's salary, as well as there being an option to buy that could become an obligation based on certain criteria. That way, the Reds could recoup up to £38m.

Given Nunez's disappointing lack of sustained impact, that amount could still be seen as a success.

Nunez is among the very few Liverpool signings of the last decade that have not been a success. His rise to prominence had been rapid to say the least, recruited off the back of a breakout season at Benfica in 2021/22, having netted 34 times in 41 games. That was just his second year in a top flight European setting, recording only 14 goals for Benfica in the previous campaign.