Serie A champions Napoli are preparing to return with an increased bid in their attempts to sign Liverpool forward Darwin Núñez this summer.
Fabrizio Romano reported that the Italian giants had a €50m bid rejected by the Premier League champions, but are expected to return imminently with an improved offer.
The Uruguayan has been identified as the number one target up front for Antonio Conte’s side, and Liverpool’s resolve is likely to be tested by a further approach.
Napoli to Bid Again for Darwin Núñez
The Serie A club is determined to build on a dream campaign, having secured their second league title in three seasons in 2024/25. Their pursuit of an out-and-out front man has led them to launch a substantial bid for Núñez, a striker who has endured an up-and-down stint at Anfield.
Napoli has reportedly pinpointed alternative frontmen that could be acquired at a lower price. The most notable reported link is with Udinese number 17 Lorenzo Lucca, who scored 12 goals in Italy’s top tier last season.
Despite his team’s outstanding campaign, it’s little wonder Antonio Conte is keen to bring more goals into his team this summer. Napoli scored 59 goals in their 38 league matches, which was comparatively low compared to their closest title challengers Inter Milan and Atalanta.
Their leading scorer was Romelu Lukaku, who netted 14 times, two more than former Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay. With the competitive nature of Serie A set to continue next season, Napoli supporters are within their rights to expect more goals at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium.
Hectic Summer to Continue at Liverpool
Liverpool’s summer spending is already heading north of £200m courtesy of the acquisitions of Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, and Milos Kerkez. But despite their heavy spending, the Merseyside club is keen to hang on to it’s key assets.
Having knocked back the original bid of €50m for Darwin Núñez, Arne Slot’s side is anticipating further bids. However, according to Corriere dello Sport, the Reds are thought to value the 25-year-old at closer to €70m.
Núñez joined Liverpool back in 2022 in a deal worth £64m, and has experienced various good and bad times ever since. His stint in the North West began with a red card on his home Premier League debut against Crystal Palace, but he has since gone on to record 95 appearances and 25 goals for the Reds.
The Uruguay international’s passionate personality has resulted in him becoming a player fans love to endorse, but his regular lack of composure has been a regular source of frustration for the Liverpool faithful.
Liverpool must weigh up whether Núñez is a player they feel they can offload to generate more transfer funds, or if he should remain part of Arne Slot’s squad. But with Napoli seemingly in a rush to bring in a goal scorer, they may be forced to make that decision sooner rather than later.
