Liverpool will have to pay Benfica an extra £4.3million if Darwin Nunez starts another Premier League match this season, it has been claimed. The Uruguayan’s move to Anfield came with a number of add-ons for reaching certain milestones, but there’s every chance the Reds don’t end up paying the maximum.
Nunez joined for an initial £64m, rising to a potential £85m if conditions are met. If Liverpool do end up meeting all those conditions, it would make him the most expensive signing in club history – topping the £75m it took to sign Virgil van Dijk from Southampton in 2018.
His time at Anfield looks to be nearing its end, though. The 25-year-old has started just one league game since the turn of the year, at home to Southampton, and has been linked with a summer exit.
The lack of any further starts could be down to the potential financial impact of such a move. According to A Bola, a 50th league start would trigger another £4.3m payment after previous payments for 10 and 25 outings respectively.
Nunez has started just eight times in the Premier League this season, with a further 17 outings as a substitute. He didn’t feature in either of the last two league games, missing out entirely against West Ham and remaining on the bench at Leicester even as Liverpool went into the final 20 minutes with the scores level at 0-0.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot denied a bust-up with staff was responsible for the forward’s absence against West Ham. “He didn’t feel himself the day before the match, and he went inside and he wasn’t able to be part of the team the day after,” Slot said when confirming Nunez would return to the matchday squad against Leicester.
Slot started wit Luis Diaz through the middle at the King Power Stadium, with Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo out wide. Diogo Jota took the place of Gakpo around an hour in, but the double-change 20 minutes from time focused on defence and midfield – with Trent Alexander-Arnold and Harvey Elliott coming on – rather than attack.
Alexander-Arnold made a near-instant impact, scoring what proved to be the winning goal, The right-back is expected to leave for Real Madrid in the summer, and Slot spoke about him after the win.
“Special for him because he worked so hard to be back in the squad and as a result of that he had a big moment today,” Slot told BBC Radio 5 Live. It could end up being Alexander-Arnold’s final goal for the club, with just five league games remaining.
“I’m here for a year now and all the players who wear the Liverpool shirt have a great reception from the fans, the manager added. “If they miss a chance, score, whatever they do we always have full support from our fans. I wouldn’t have expected it any other way today when Trent come on.”
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