Liverpool Ready to Sell Forward with Napoli Pushing for £50m Agreement | OneFootball

Darwin Nunez and Liverpool: A Split on the Horizon as Napoli Circle

Napoli in the Picture for Nunez Exit

Darwin Nunez has given Napoli the green light to negotiate with Liverpool, and it appears his Anfield journey may be nearing its end. As reported by The Mirror, the 26-year-old has made it clear he sees no future under Arne Slot after a season where he started just eight Premier League matches.

“Nunez has told Napoli that he is ready to leave Liverpool this summer,” the article states, with the Italian champions hopeful that a £50 million deal can be struck. However, Liverpool are currently holding out for closer to £70 million — a valuation Napoli are not yet willing to meet.

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Slot’s Strategy and Forward Planning

Arne Slot, in his first campaign as Liverpool manager, won the Premier League but did so while frequently leaving Nunez on the bench. “He has come to the conclusion that he has no future at Anfield under boss Arne Slot,” The Mirror revealed.

It was a calculated decision by the Dutchman. Liverpool avoided triggering an additional payment to Benfica by limiting Nunez’s starts late in the season. “The Uruguayan wasn’t used from the start by Slot for the final two months of the season… if he started one more league match after the 3-1 win over Southampton on March 8.”

Slot has his eye on a new striker, with Newcastle’s Alexander Isak and Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike among the names mentioned. But both would require significant investment.

Valuations and Financial Balancing

Liverpool are keen to recoup value after already spending £185 million this summer on Florian Wirtz, Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong. “The Merseysiders will want to generate full value for any departures,” especially with Wirtz’s £100 million signing potentially rising to £116 million — a new British record.

Nunez’s seven goals last season did little to justify his £64 million initial fee, which could rise to £85 million. Napoli, meanwhile, may free up funds if Victor Osimhen agrees a £67 million move to Al-Hilal in the Saudi Pro League.

Legacy in Limbo

Nunez arrived from Benfica with high hopes, but inconsistency, injuries and managerial transitions never allowed him to fully settle. He remains a player of huge potential, but one who may now realise it elsewhere.

“Napoli are prepared to see how the summer transfer market develops,” The Mirror note, and so too will Liverpool — albeit from a position of financial prudence and attacking recalibration.

Our View – Anfield Index Analysis

There is an undeniable air of disappointment in how the Darwin Nunez story at Liverpool is potentially ending. As a fan, it’s gutting. You don’t spend upwards of £64 million on a striker only to see him fall short of expectations and drift out the door under a new regime.

Seven goals in a title-winning season simply isn’t enough. But was Nunez ever given the platform to thrive? The system clearly shifted under Arne Slot, and Darwin’s chaotic energy and unpredictable finishing never seemed to fit. “The Uruguayan wasn’t used from the start by Slot for the final two months of the season,” and that felt like a clear statement of intent from the manager.

It’s also frustrating to know the club actively avoided one more league start just to avoid triggering a payment to Benfica. Yes, it’s smart business, but it also underlines how the club had effectively given up on him months ago.

Still, £50 million feels low for a striker still approaching his peak. If Napoli sell Osimhen, they’ll be flush with cash, and Liverpool must play hardball. The front line is evolving, but selling low could haunt us if Nunez thrives in Italy.

He might never have been Torres or Suarez, but with the right patience, Darwin Nunez could still prove his doubters wrong — unfortunately, it just may not be at Anfield.