Exciting talents to light up EPL

LONDON • Two of the best young striking talents in the game will be plying their trade in the Premier League next season.

Liverpool yesterday reached a deal with Benfica to buy Uruguay forward Darwin Nunez for an initial €75 million (S$109 million), the Portuguese club confirmed.

With add-ons, the transfer could eventually rise to €100 million, eclipsing the £75 million club-record fee paid to Southampton for Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk in 2018.

Nunez scored 26 goals in 28 league appearances last season in Portugal. The 22-year-old, who was left out of Uruguay's squad for Saturday's 5-0 friendly win over Panama, yesterday undertook his medical examination at Liverpool's Melwood training complex.

Personal terms are not anticipated to be a problem, with the player having expressed his desire to play for Reds manager Jurgen Klopp despite interest from Manchester United.

He is set to sign a reported six-year contract with the FA Cup and League Cup winners, who have been in talks with Benfica for several weeks, and his official signing is likely to be announced by the end of this week.

Considered to be the natural successor to veteran forwards Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani in the Uruguay set-up, Nunez is highly rated and Klopp has already experienced the threat he poses.

He netted in both legs of Benfica's Champions League quarter-final defeat by Liverpool in April, earning praise from the German.

Klopp then said: "Good, really, really good... if he stays healthy, it's a big career ahead of him."

Former Queens Park Rangers star Adel Taarabt has no doubt his soon-to-be former Benfica teammate will be a success in the English top flight.

He told talkSport yesterday: "When we saw him in the first training (session), 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."

Nunez is likely to arrive at Anfield as a direct replacement for Sadio Mane after Bayern Munich stepped up their pursuit of the Senegal forward, who has just one year left on his deal.

Liverpool have rejected two offers from the Bundesliga champions and are holding out for a fee in excess of £40 million (S$67.8 million) for the 30-year-old.

Premier League champions Manchester City will also have a new face leading their line next season, after the €60 million signing of Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund was confirmed yesterday.

The deal had already been in place since last month and the Norway striker, 21, expressed his confidence that manager Pep Guardiola will be able to take his game to the next level.

"I have always watched City and have loved doing so in recent seasons," said Haaland, who scored 86 goals in all competitions for Dortmund since his January 2020 debut. "You can't help but admire their style of play, it's exciting and they create a lot of chances, which is perfect for a player like me.

"I want to score goals, win trophies, improve as a footballer and I'm confident I can do that here."

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS