Newcastle United have reportedly been told they will need to stump up a transfer fee of around £50 million to sign Benfica hotshot Darwin Nunez in January.
According to inews.co.uk, Newcastle United have been asked to shell out a sum of around £50 million to get their hands on Benfica striker Darwin Nunez. The 22-year-old Uruguayan boasts a whopping £100 million release clause in his current deal with the club, and the Portuguese giants are demanding at least half that figure to sanction the departure for their prized asset.
Nunez started his youth career with local clubs La Luz and San Miguel de Artigas before making the switch to one of the country’s biggest clubs, Penarol, aged just 14. He endured a difficult start to his senior career riddled with injuries but managed to catch the eye of Spanish second-tier side UD Almeria, who rolled the dice on a relatively unknown quantity at the time.
The forward enjoyed a successful maiden campaign in Spanish Segunda División, netting 16 league goals in 32 appearances, before moving to SL Benfica in 2020, where he has since taken his game to new heights. He has been in prolific form for Benfica this term, scoring 18 goals in 22 appearances across all competitions, including an impressive brace in a 3-0 Champions League victory over Barcelona.
The 22-year-old Uruguayan is regarded as one of the most sought-after attacking talents in the transfer market. His exploits have piqued the interest of some of the top clubs across Europe, including the likes of Atletico Madrid, Manchester United, and Manchester City. However, with their vast financial power, Newcastle believe they can pip their competition for the Uruguayan’s signature.
The North-East outfit have had a dismal first-half of this season and are sitting 19th in the Premier League table. Having conceded a league-high 42 goals reflects the priority to strengthen the defensive and midfield departments, but averaging just a goal per game, they can do well by adding to their attacking contingent, especially considering the recent injury to their top-scorer Callum Wilson.
The talismanic striker is reportedly sidelined for months after hobbling off in his side’s 1-1 draw with Manchester United. With Dwight Gayle incapable of delivering the goods in the top-flight and linked with a loan move to Championship, and Joelinton excelling in the midfield role, the Magpies are left with Allan Saint-Maximin as their only option to play up top, highlighting the lack of depth in their striking department.
The Toon have recently been linked with a move for Chilean striker Ben Brereton from Championship outfit Blackburn Rovers. However, a much more ambitious swoop would be to secure the deal for Águias sensation Darwin Nunez, who is seen as the next big thing in Europe, following in the footsteps of his compatriots Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani.
Newcastle’s head of scouting Steven Nickson has held talks with Benfica chief Rui Costa over a potential deal for the Uruguayan forward earlier this month. Although the Portuguese outfit are hesitant to do business for their starlet in the winter market, they would be tempted to listen to the offers around the £50 million mark. It remains to be seen whether the Magpies would go all-out to match Benfica’s asking price for the Uruguayan in January.
He looks the part and many good comments raised by the likes of Suarez etc. So 50 million seems a good deal, we paid 40 million for Joelington who is now looking good value so why not. Wilson will miss a few matches every season so we need cover. More to come we hope. Hwtl