Manchester United receive transfer boost in their pursuit of Darwin Nunez after Benfica ace sets sights on Premier League

According to the Mirror, Manchester United have received a transfer boost in their pursuit of Benfica striker Darwin Nunez after the player’s representatives believe a move to the Premier League is best suited for him.

Nunez is enjoying his most prolific season in front of the net so far, scoring multiple goals for his team in the Primeira Liga as well as in the UEFA Champions League. His exploits on the pitch have seen Benfica finish third in the domestic league table.

They also managed to reach the quarterfinals of the UCL, with the 22-year-old recording strikes against clubs such as Liverpool and Barcelona. He also got on the scoresheet against Bayern Munich, who eventually dumped his team out of the continental competition.

It is for reasons such as these that United are chasing the Uruguayan’s signature as they hunt for a new goalscorer in the summer. However, they face an obstacle as Nunez is said to want Champions League football next season, which is something the Red Devils cannot provide.  

Premier League switch preferred

The Manchester side may still have hopes of snapping up the Benfica star, as his personal advisers have apparently likened his attributes and style of play to that of a forward well-suited to English football. This will give the Premier League side a transfer boost as they look to tempt Nunez with a chance to play for an established giant in the top flight.

It will not be easy to convince Benfica to part with their striker, with the Portuguese club inserting a £130m buy-out clause to his contract, that runs until 2025. That being said, it is said that a bid of around £70m may be enough to part the player from the club. 

Nunez has shown this season that he is capable of scoring against some of the world’s best clubs, proving his ability to lead the attacking line and becoming a threat to opposition defences. His two goals against Liverpool in particular will have gotten United fans excited.

The Red Devils are in need of a goalscorer next season, with the club overly reliant on Cristiano Ronaldo this term. The Portugal captain has shouldered the responsibility of supplying the goals this campaign, while Edinson Cavani has struggled to keep up his appearances due to injuries and Marcus Rashford has suffered a drastic dip in form.

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Furthermore, with United having missed out on Champions League football the next season, it remains to be seen if Ronaldo will continue at Old Trafford beyond the summer. This scenario makes Nunez a perfect younger replacement for the No. 7, but only time will tell if he makes a move to the Premier League giants.

If the club legend departs, then the onus of scoring will fall solely on Rashford and Anthony Martial, who is expected back at the club in the summer when his loan spell at Sevilla expires. Cavani will also be bidding farewell at the end of the season when his contract expires.