Jurgen Klopp is a big fan of Darwin Núñez, and Liverpool are expected to sign the Benfica striker for £ 85 million after much praise from the coach this season.
According to ESPN, the Reds are in “advanced talks” with Benfica for a £ 85m deal for Núñez, who has already agreed personal terms with the Anfield club.
It will be a record transfer for Liverpool, surpassing his £ 75million spending for Virgil van Dijk in 2018, and shows how convinced he is that Klopp can excel at 22 years old.
This was evident during the end of the campaign, when Klopp’s side faced Benfica twice in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
Núñez scored on both legs, and before the initial qualifier in Portugal, the coach was full of praise.
“He is a good striker! The next one from Uruguay, “Klopp told reporters.
“I don’t know how Cavani, Suárez and he play together in the same team, it’s probably a challenge to put him in his place.
“Top, best boy. And yes, the goals he scored, obviously Ajax in Amsterdam was a big, big, and yes, also in the group stage. So he’s not shy.
“We hope it starts tomorrow and we have to make sure it doesn’t get too many balls.”
After Núñez took advantage of Ibrahima Konate’s mistake for the consolation goal at the Estadio da Luz, he was rightly highlighted as the key threat for the decisive stage at Anfield.
On a different night, the Uruguayan could have had a hat-trick at Merseyside, and again Klopp was asked about his quality during the pre-match press conference.
“Very handsome boy, eh? And a good player too! Very well, very well, you have to say,” Klopp replied.
“I knew it before, of course, but he played almost in front of me with his tough battles with Ibou Konate.
“Physically strong, fast, calmer around his goal, when he finished the goal he was very calm.
“Well, very, very good. As we say in these situations, if you stay healthy, you have a great race ahead of you.”
Now it looks like this “big race” could be at Anfield, although it’s safe to say that Klopp already had an idea that would be the case by then!