Darwin Nunez breaks third transfer record as Liverpool announce deal worth £85million for Benfica striker who ‘will be one of the best in the world’

Liverpool have confirmed the signing of striker Darwin Nunez from Benfica, in a deal that could reach £85million.

That fee makes the Uruguayan frontman most expensive signing in Liverpool’s history, as Jurgen Klopp’s side look to keep pace with rivals Man City at the top of the Premier League.

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Nunez moves to Anfield after the best season of his career so far, with the 22-year-old scoring 34 goals in 41 games for Benfica - including two against the Reds in the Champions League.

It’s another exciting arrival for Klopp, who has once again plundered the Portuguese Primeira Liga for one of its shining stars following the signing of Luis Diaz from Porto in January.

It also completes a remarkable rise for Nunez, who has gone from Spain’s second division to the record signing of one of Europe’s top clubs in just three years.

Coming through the academy of Uruguayan side Penarol, he was promoted to the first-team in 2017 and then moved onto Spanish Segunda Division club Almeria in August 2019, for a reported fee of around £3.7million [$4.5m].

Then, after just one season with Almeria in which he scored 16 goals in 32 appearances, he secured a £20.6m [€24m] move to Benfica - which was both a Segunda Division transfer record, and the most expensive signing in the Portuguese club’s history.

Two seasons and 48 goals in 85 appearances for Benfica later, Nunez has moved on again, but this time to Premier League giants Liverpool.

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Almeria are also said to have negotiated a 20 per cent sell-on fee with Benfica, which means the Spanish club - that secured promotion back to LaLiga after seven seasons away this term - will bank a cool £17m [€20m] from his move to Anfield.

And, after breaking a third transfer record of his career, Nunez has been tipped to become one of the world’s best strikers under new mentor, Klopp.

Speaking to talkSPORT, Benfica teammate and ex-Premier League star Adel Taarabt described the Uruguayan as a ‘machine’ who is a mix of countrymen Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani and destined for the top.

“Last season when Benfica bought him from Almeria nobody knew him really but it was already a big fee, a lot of people were surprised," Taarabt explained.

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“But when we saw him in the first training we understood that he was going to be one of the best strikers in the world.

“He has that mentality of South Americans, he likes to win, he’s a winner, he fights, he’s very very fast and strong as well.

“Darwin has a mix of Cavani and Suarez, he can jump, he can go behind, for me he’s a mix of both. 

“I mean 34 goals, six in the Champions League, two against Barcelona, Bayern Munich and two against Liverpool and he’s 21-years-old. 

“He works so hard, he’s fit, if you see his body he’s a real athlete, he’s a machine, so for me in the Premier League he will score goals for sure.”