LIVERPOOL ‘REJECT EXTRAORDINARY OPENING BID’ FOR ‘IMPORTANT’ STAR AS FABRIZIO ROMANO CONFIRMS ‘CONVERSATIONS HELD’

Liverpool star Darwin Nunez does have genuine interest in his services from Saudi Arabia, with Fabrizio Romano providing a big update on where the deal is at and with a sizeable opening offer for the star’s services falling short.

The Uruguayan moved to Anfield in a big-money deal from Benfica in summer 2022, with the fee for the 25-year-old ultimately setting the Reds back a club-record £84m (€100m, €101.7m). However, with just 37 goals and 21 assists from his 122 appearances to date, the jury remains out on whether Nunez has proved true value for money for Liverpool.

While Nunez was a regular under Jurgen Klopp’s management, his successor Arne Slot has shown a tendency to rely more heavily on others. Diogo Jota or winger Luis Diaz are often preferred as an option to lead the line, for example.

And more often than not, that has left Nunez on the bench, with the 33-times capped striker only starting 14 times across all competitions so far this season.

As a result of his slide down the Anfield pecking order, sources have confirmed that Slot is open to the sale of Nunez this year. And amid claims that the Uruguayan is the latest big name being targeted for a high-profile move to Saudi Arabia, it was reported on Monday that a salary offer worth more than two and a half times his current Liverpool deal would be put on the table.

Now transfer expert Romano has confirmed that interest in the ‘important’ Liverpool player from the Saudi Pro League is genuine having revealed talks over a deal had been held.

“What I can confirm at the moment is only that interest from Saudi in Darwin Nunez is genuine,” Romano told his YouTube channel. There have been conversations to understand the situation of Darwin, the price tag and all these sorts of things.

“For sure there is interest. For sure, there is something in terms of contacts from Saudi, but at the moment there is not something advanced or concrete in terms of negotiations.”

That information conflicts with an update from Anfield Watch, who claims Liverpool have ‘rejected an extraordinary first offer’ for Nunez, worth around £70m (€83.3m, $85.6m).

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Romano, though, insists it is not cut and dried whether a sale will go through this month, adding: “We have to respect Liverpool in this story. Darwin is an important player for them. They spent important money on him, so before saying that Liverpool are selling Darwin Nunez, there are still plenty of things to do. At the moment, we are not at that stage. Interest yes, but at the moment still nothing advanced or concrete.”

Our reporter Rudy Galetti was the first to break the news about Liverpool willingness to sell Nunez this year, though the Italian’s sources had informed him that the Reds’ initial valuation had scared off potential interest in Serie A. Indeed, AC Milan had been one side casting admiring glances his way.

Now since the news of the Saudi interest has emerged, it’s understood Liverpool have stated it would cost nearer the £84m (€100m, €101.7m) mark to secure his signature in the January window.

Anfield Watch also believes a sale this month of Nunez, while not ideal, cannot be ruled out.

And while his exit this month would leave Liverpool short of an option in attack, the fact it would give Slot a sizeable windfall to sign a replacement – with Victor Osimhen among those named – this month.

In terms of a destination, it’s understood that Al-Hilal are leading that chase for his signature. The PIF-backed side are seeking a replacement for Neymar in attack and believe the Uruguayan, who would earn considerably less than the Brazilian, would fit the bill perfectly.

Slot, for his part, has said very little about Nunez’s future but has spoken about what he does bring to the side in the wake of the player’s struggles in front of goal.

“For me, he has an impact. If you only look at goals, he hasn’t scored as many as he wants to score or we want a number nine to score,” Slot said last month.

“But he does have an impact in his work rate and that’s not just to prevent the other team from making a chance, but also for us when we lose the ball to be aggressive and we can get the ball back and create chances…

“…Maybe because the fans support him so much, he wants it almost too much, to score that goal for the fans and for himself.”

Latest Liverpool news: Bournemouth swap deal; Alexander-Arnold update

Meanwhile, Liverpool are reportedly making plans to raid Bournemouth for their talented attacker Antoine Semenyo.

The Ghana international has played a leading role in the Cherries’ rise to seventh in the Premier League this season, scoring six goals and adding three assists from 21 appearances.

Now it’s claimed the Reds are ready to make a push to bring him to Anfield in the final weeks of the January window – and hope to tempt the Cherries by offering them a forward of their own as a sizeable makeweight.

Elsewhere, Liverpool are reportedly growing in confidence that they could be able to win the race for Aurelien Tchouameni, despite the Reds facing a major threat from another Premier League club, while Real Madrid’s stance on a potential deal in the January transfer window has also been revealed.

And finally, there has been more speculation over the future of Trent Alexander-Arnold with reports in Spain revealing a sudden twist and having provided an update on Real Madrid plans to make an improved bid for his services this month.

Darwin Nunez’s Liverpool record by numbers

Nunez’s Liverpool career stats

2025-01-14T09:18:06Z