At almost 23 years old, his name does not necessarily say much to the general public yet, but the striker who played for Benfica Lisbon is already well known to observers and especially recruiters from the biggest European clubs.

If it does not make as much talk as the Norwegian striker for three years, the meteoric course of Nunez remains significant.

Last season, the Uruguayan scored 34 goals in 41 matches in all competitions for Benfica, finishing by far as top scorer in the Portuguese league, while the Eagles had a mixed season domestically, offset by a quarter-final of Champions League lost against... Liverpool.

Recommended by Luis Suarez

The Uruguayan had also scored in the first leg (3-1, 3-3), just as he had done in the group stage against Bayern Munich and Barcelona, ​​or in Amsterdam, for a goal decisive in the round of 16 return, against Ajax.

Benfica's Uruguayan striker Darwin Nunez scores against Liverpool in the Champions League quarter-final first leg on April 5, 2022 in Lisbon CARLOS COSTA AFP/Archives

Benfica had already not hesitated to make the attacker the biggest purchase in its history, for 24 million euros in 2019, when he had been playing in Spanish D2 in Almeria for only one year.

The previous record of the Reds, the 87 M EUR disbursed in December 2017 for Virgil van Dijk, had surprised.

But everyone agrees today that the club on the banks of the Mersey largely got its money's worth by attracting the Dutch defender into its nets.

Liverpool have very rarely been wrong in their recruitment and even though Julian Ward has just taken over from 'magician' Michael Edwards as director of football, confidence is in order.

When he was in Barcelona, ​​​​Luis Suarez, also Uruguayan and especially former Red, had tried to convince Barça to bring his compatriot.

The door opens for Mané

With his height (1.87m), his build, his mid-length hair and inevitably also his nationality, Nunez is reminiscent of Edinson Cavani, but he is a more versatile player than "El Matador".

Able to evolve as a left winger or to share the axis of the attack, he is also very quick and unanimously described as very eager to progress.

His arrival could, through the effect of musical chairs, facilitate the departure of Sadio Mané, who has only one year of contract left and who is being courted by Bayern Munich.

Striker Sadio Mané thanks the supporters after Liverpool's 3-2 victory over Villareal in the Champions League return match on May 3, 2022 at La Ceramica Stadium in Vila-real Paul ELLIS AFP / Archives

The Bavarians have already made two offers rejected by the Reds and are on the verge of making a third for just over €40m according to media reports, while Liverpool had set the transfer bar at €49m .

According to the German newspaper Bild, the 30-year-old Senegalese has already agreed with Bayern for a 3-year contract.

The mystery concerning a possible extension of Mohamed Salah, who also has only one year left of contract at Anfield, remains unsolved.

© 2022 AFP