Liverpool are unlikely to let Darwin Nunez go to AC Milan this month without securing a replacement.
The 25-year-old Uruguayan, who was signed from Benfica in 2022 for an initial £64 million ($79.3 million) fee that could rise to a club-record £85M ($105M), has had a difficult third season with the Reds, netting just four goals across all competitions.
Despite the high hopes under Jurgen Klopp, and later Arne Slot, Nunez's Anfield career hasn't taken off as expected. As such, he's being tipped for a January transfer window exit, with AC Milan showing the most interest.
However, Liverpool have yet to receive any formal contact from the Italian side regarding a potential move for Nunez. Reports from Italy suggest that Milan were preparing a bid for the striker, who's currently behind Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota in the pecking order at Liverpool.
The proposed deal would've been a six-month loan with a £41.5M ($51.4M) obligation to buy in the summer. But with Milan's recent managerial change, their plans might have shifted.
If the move does go ahead, Nunez will join a host of other strikers looking to revive their careers at the San Siro. Chelsea misfit Alvaro Morata has found a new home with AC Milan this term, joined by England's own Tammy Abraham on a temporary deal from Roma. Meanwhile, Luka Jovic is there too, following his high-profile transfer to Real Madrid in 2019.
With star man Rafael Leao out injured at the moment and former England player Ruben Loftus-Cheek also in the treatment room, Liverpool fans have been pondering whether it's time to cash in on Nunez if Milan come knocking with a hefty bid. The consensus seems to be that Liverpool would want another striker on standby before letting Nunez go.
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Earlier this month, Slot offered some words of support for Nunez, downplaying the goal drought by highlighting his impact on the pitch. "For me, he has impact," Slot remarked.
"If you only look at goals, he hasn't scored the amount of goals that he wants to score, or we want a number nine to score, but he does have impact in his work rate. He's part of a team that scores a lot of goals and is winning a lot."
"Of course, as a No. 9, you want to score more goals and that's definitely what he wants as well. But I'm not only judging Mohamed Salah on his goals and Darwin on his goals - I also judge them on their work rate and what they bring to the team. The fans support him so much that maybe he wants it too much."
