Napoli Have ‘Abandoned’ Move to Sign Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez – Report | OneFootball

Liverpool Transfers: Reds Dealt Major Darwin Nunez Blow After Setting Hefty Price Tag

Despite already signing five players already this summer and spending over £200million, Liverpool’s next wave of transfer activity now depends on outgoings.

Trent Alexander-Arnold, Caoimhin Kelleher and Jarell Quansah have all secured moves away this summer already and more are expected to follow.

Harvey Elliott is expected to leave if a bid meets Liverpool’s £45million valuation of the midfielder, whilst the futures of Andy Robertson, Ibou Konate, Tyler Morton, Federico Chiesa and Luis Diaz all remain uncertain.

Darwin Nunez is also expected to leave this summer too. Fabrizio Romano has regularly reported that a move away from Anfield is ‘guaranteed’ this summer.

Liverpool have been locked in negotiations with Napoli over a move for the Uruguayan striker, but according to reports that deal could now be off.

Napoli ‘Abandon’ Nunez Pursuit

According to Sky Sports, the Italian side have ‘abandoned’ their move to sign the 26-year-old due to the ‘excessive costs’ in the deal.

Just days ago, Liverpool had rejected an offer worth around £47.5million for Nunez and were reportedly holding out for a fee closer to the £60million mark.

However, their asking price is seemingly too much for Napoli, who have now switched their attentions to a £30million move to sign Lorenzo Lucca instead.

Liverpool even rejected a £70million offer from Saudi Arabia back in January, but can now only hope that such move comes back around this summer. Atletico Madrid have also been interested in Nunez, but their interest has cooled in recent weeks.

Looking Ahead

A new centre-forward was a priority for Liverpool this summer but after already spending £200million this summer, you’d think that Nunez’s exit is crucial in any move for a striker this summer.

Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike is perhaps the likeliest option to bolster Liverpool’s frontline, but will likely cost around the £70million mark himself.

Links to Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak remain present, but that deal would likely cost more than double that of a move for Ekitike and the Magpies maintain their stance that the Swedish forward is not for sale.

I’d still expect Nunez to move on this summer, but what once seemed like a straight forward move is slowly becoming more and more complicated.