Liverpool stand firm on €70m valuation as Napoli chase Darwin Nunez | OneFootball

Liverpool have made their demands clear amid serious interest from Napoli in striker Darwin Nunez. The Reds want €65 million plus €5 million in add-ons to let him leave.

According to Gianluca DiMarzio, while Napoli remain keen to strengthen their frontline this summer, they are currently baulking at the Liverpool valuation.

The Serie A club considers Nunez a marquee target.

However, they also know securing the Liverpool centre-forward would require a massive financial commitment, more than the €43 million they wanted to offer.

They are hesitant. With Liverpool not budging, Napoli are also pursuing Udinese forward Lorenzo Lucca.

That deal is more straightforward and cheaper, with talks progressing around a €35 million fee plus €5 million in bonuses.

Still, the fact that Napoli continue monitoring Nunez suggests their interest is serious. It remains unclear whether the Partenopei can meet Liverpool somewhere financially.

Liverpool want a new striker, and the fee they can stump up might depend on how much they can get from selling Nunez and a few other fringe players.

The Merseyside club has already spent significantly, reinforcing the squad by signing Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, and Milos Kerkez.

They will need to sell to bolster their coffers for more transfer dealings.

Liverpool have been credited with interest in ‘world-class’ striker Alexander Isak, but Newcastle United plan to fend off suitors with high demands.

Getting a decent sum for Nunez will allow Liverpool to splurge on Isak and bring him to Anfield.

They are also sniffing around Eintracht Frankfurt ace Hugo Ekitike, but rumours claim the Swede is the top target.

As for Nunez, a move to Napoli might do him a world of good.

Manager Antonio Conte turned the (unfairly) much-derided Romelu Lukaku into a formidable force in Serie A.

Conte could work his magic with the Uruguayan international (35 caps).

There is a decent player in Nunez, even though he only showed it in glimpses at Liverpool. Conte can unlock the lethal striker we saw at Almeria and Benfica.