Benfica are finalising their negotiations with Liverpool over the deal for Darwin Nunez, but Manchester United continue to lurk in the background
That’s according to O Jogo, who explain that United’s hopes of getting the player have been hit by his desire to play for Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool.
They report that, despite denials that Manchester United are interested in Nunez, they have ‘not yet given up in this race’ for his signature.
However, there is one ‘obstacle’ in their way, and that may prove to be ‘insurmountable’; the Uruguayan only has eyes for Liverpool.
There is still no agreement between the Reds and Benfica for a transfer, but all the noises coming out of the clubs indicate one will be struck ‘in the coming hours’.
O Jogo, though, say that there is still one component on the negotiating table that needs to be agreed and that ‘concerns the share referring to the targets’.
Liverpool have offered a deal of €80m fixed plus €20m in variables tied to certain ttargetts that the player might achieve.
There is no dispute over the ‘amount’ of these targets but how they will be achieved. Benfica would prefer that these are easier to achieve so that they can give themselves ‘greater probability’ of earning the full €100m from the sale.
While they are set to earn €80m fixed, this will be reduced down to a profit of less than €40m when they pay 25% to intermediaries, €10m to former club Almeria and 10% to super-agent Jorge Mendes.
That will leave the figure at around €37m, meaning Benfica want to ensure the targets Darwin needs to reach for them to get the extra €20m are more achievable.
Thus an agreement with Liverpool has not been closed definitively, leaving room for Manchester United to make a late bid.
They’re still ready to pay what Benfica want but would have to work hard to convince the player, who has his heart firmly set on a move to Anfield.
