The transfer is already considered certain: Liverpool will spend 100 million euros on Uruguayan striker Darwin Nunes.
The goal scorer of Benfica will be the star new addition to the ranks of the “Merseysiders”, which will be relied on in the next clash with Manchester City and the other English giants in the fight for the top spot in the Premier League.
Analyzing the transfer, the media recall that six years ago, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp vowed never to give 100 million for one player.
Has the German changed his principles since then? Let’s look at the circumstances.
Klopp made his comment in 2016, when it became clear that Manchester United would give over 100 million to Paul Pogba.
“If you bring in a player for £ 100m and he gets injured, everything flies through the chimney. The day football becomes that, I will no longer work in it – because the point of this sport is to play collectively.”
“That’s how everyone in football understands it. You always want to have the best, but you have to build a team to be successful. Other clubs can spend more and get top players, I want to do it differently. “I would do it differently, even if I had the opportunity to spend that money.”
“If I’m spending money, it’s because I’m trying to build a real team. Barcelona has done it. You can win championships and trophies, but you also want to do it with a certain approach.”
Those were Klopp’s words then.
The subtle detail is that the German was talking about 100 million pounds, not 100 million euros, and these were the times before PSG poured 222 million for Neymar and radically changed the football market.
Back in 2018, he was reminded of this comment, as Liverpool first broke their transfer record for Virgil van Dyke, and then made Alison Becker the most expensive goalkeeper in history.
“It’s a problem, whatever you say is unforgettable,” Klopp said. “I couldn’t imagine that the world would change like that. 100 million pounds was an incredible number, but since then the world has changed. We took the most expensive goalkeeper, there will be other good transfers to other clubs.”
Four years later, Liverpool will once again break its transfer record – although it is even expected not to give 100 million euros at once, but initially to pay 80 million for Nunes, while the remaining 20 million will be in the form of bonuses.
Thus, the Uruguayan will cost about 10 million pounds more than Van Dyke.
Darwin Nunes will also become the fourth most expensive transfer in the Premier League after Jack Greenish, Romelu Lukaku and Pogba.
Since Klopp led Liverpool, the Reds have spent less than their rivals Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea, but the manager has achieved great success and returned the team among the best in England and Europe.
