Home Newcastle United Newcastle ‘ready to offer’ over £50m for goal-per-game Benfica star
Newcastle United are “ready to offer” over £50million to sign Benfica forward Darwin Nunez, according to reports.
The Uruguay international moved to the Portuguese side in 2020 for a fee in the region of €24m.
He has impressed tremendously for Benfica, contributing to 26 goals in 44 appearances in his debut season for the club.
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This season, Nunez has stepped his game up, netting 13 goals in as many games in the league. The 22-year-old has 18 goals in all competitions, including three in the Champions League.
Numerous European clubs are interested in signing the attacker, including Chelsea, Manchester City, Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan, AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain.
In October last year, the player’s agent insisted Nunez is “ready” for a move.
“Darwin is ready to play in any team on the globe,” Edgardo Lasalvia said.
“Various top-level teams have contacted us, but for the moment the head is on continuing and growing with Benfica and with the Uruguayan national team: this is how important things will come.”
🇺🇾 | #NUFC considering £50m bid for Benfica striker, Darwin Nunez.
[@TuttoMercatoWeb] pic.twitter.com/L2D4ItJerW
— DailyNUFC (@DailyNUFC_) January 3, 2022
According to Tutto Mercato Web, Newcastle “are ready to offer” over £50m for the Uruguayan, who has a €100m buyout clause.
Furthermore, Spanish outlet AS claim Benfica rejected an offer from the Magpies in December and add that the Portuguese giants are holding out for €80m in January.
Callum Wilson’s time at St James’ Park has been plagued by injuries, and Toon boss Eddie Howe will be desperate to bring in a new striker after it was confirmed Wilson would be out for “months”.
They have also been linked with Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who is currently with the Gabon squad as they prepare for the Africa Cup of Nations.
Aubameyang is out in the cold at Arsenal after a disciplinary breach saw him stripped of the captaincy.
He hasn’t played since December 6 and is being linked with a move away from the club in the January transfer window.
And ex-Chelsea striker Tony Cascarino has urged Newcastle to rethink their pursuit of Aubameyang as he “doesn’t see this deal being a good one at all.”
“I don’t see this deal being a good one for Newcastle at all. I think it will be more of an air of is Aubameyang doing Newcastle a favour and I probably think, no, he’s not going to be doing them a favour.”