Newcastle United are hoping to beat a host of big name clubs to the signature of Benfica striker Darwin Nunez.
Nunez is one of the most sought after players in world football, with the striker having scored 32 goals in 37 games for Benfica across all competitions this season.
The 22-year-old is attracting interest from the likes of PSG, Barcelona, Arsenal, Liverpool, and Manchester United among many others in recent weeks.
Newcastle United are hoping to beat a host of clubs to the signature of Benfica’s Darwin Nunez
Nunez is one of the most sought after players in world football with impressive form
In England, Newcastle and West Ham both reportedly expressed interest in the player in January, and Brighton were unsuccessful in their bid last summer.
Manchester City are also thought to have monitored Nunez’s situation closely, before the club set their sights on Borussia Dortmund sensation Erling Haaland.
The Magpies, however, are hoping their new-found wealth will enable them to seal the deal to bolster their attacking options.
Newcastle have even reportedly made a £49million bid for Nunez, according to Footmercato.
Benfica are believed to be holding out for at least £60million for the striker – and the fee would represent a sizeable profit from the £20m they paid for him in 2020.
Nunez was playing in the Spanish second tier with Almeira less than two years ago, but he has gone from strength to strength since his move to Benfica in September 2020, when they paid a club record fee for him.
After netting a modest 14 goals in his debut campaign, the striker has become a revelation this campaign, and has rightly so attracted plenty of interest.
The Uruguayan also recently announced his decision to change agents and leave current representative Edgardo Lasalvia, which added fuel to the speculation of his departure from the Portuguese side.
The 22-year-old has been alongside Lasalvia (right) since he left Almeria for Benfica in 2020
He tweeted: ‘I want to clarify that I will not renew my contract with my representative Edgardo Lasalvia.
‘I also want to clarify that neither my family nor I have received any threats and we are fine.’
Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano has since reported that Nunez will ‘sign with a new representative close to Jorge Mendes’.
Reports suggest that Nunez will ‘sign with a new representative close to Jorge Mendes’ (above)
But it appears Lasalvia is not letting him go without a fight and Portuguese newspaper Record, reported by SPORT in Spain, does not ‘accept that break’.
It’s claimed that Lasalvia agreed a chunk of commission with Benfica for when Nunez leaves the club – with his former club Almeria also due 20 per cent of the profit they make on him.
Amid the tension, it’s also reported that Nunez has bolstered his personal security and that around his family in Uruguay.
