Liverpool have turned down a formal offer from Serie A champions Napoli for Darwin Núñez but “expected to try again” as the Uruguayan forward continues to attract significant interest across Europe and beyond.
According to reports from Gianluca Di Marzio, Napoli submitted a bid worth €50 million plus €5 million in add-ons for the 25-year old striker. However, the offer fell short of Liverpool’s valuation, with the Premier League champions believed to be holding out for a fee closer to €60 million.
Despite the Reds rejecting the bid, the player is thought to be open to a move to Italy or Spain. Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis is said to have made a personal intervention to try and push the deal through, with reports suggesting the Italian side are prepared to offer Núñez a lucrative salary package worth around £100,000 per week after tax.
However, on Monday morning transfer expert Fabrizio Romano claimed that Napoli will need to return with a significantly improved offer if they are serious about signing the forward.
“€50 million was never going to be enough for Liverpool,” Romano said on YouTube. “But in the next days or weeks, Napoli are expected to try again for Darwin. He remains their top target.”
Liverpool have already invested heavily in the summer window, spending over £216 million on players including Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, Giorgi Mamardashvili and Armin Pecsi. That makes a major outgoing plausible if the price is right.
Núñez, who arrived at Anfield in 2022 for a club record £85 million from Benfica, has had a turbulent spell on Merseyside. While there have been flashes of brilliance — such as his performance in a 2-0 win over Brentford last season — inconsistency and poor finishing which have plagued his time at the club.
He scored just six goals during the last campaign and struggled to cement a place under head coach Arne Slot. During his three seasons at Anfield, the Uruguayan has a record of 25 goals and 13 assists in 95 appearances, which isn’t the striker the Reds need if they want to take the next step of winning more silverware.
Liverpool rejected a £59.5 million bid from Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr in January, as FSG’s football CEO Michael Edwards and sporting director Richard Hughes chose to keep Núñez to aid their Premier League title push. However, with the new season approaching and Núñez’s form still in question, clubs from Saudi, Spain and Italy clubs are all keeping a close eye on his situation.
Although he remains under contract at Liverpool until 2028 and the club are in no rush to sell, growing interest could spark a bidding war as the summer transfer window progresses.
