'It might be true' - Arne Slot makes Darwin Nunez exit ADMISSION

Darwin Nunez looks set to leave Liverpool this summer.

The Uruguayan international has failed to convince head coach Arne Slot throughout the season, scoring only five Premier League goals.

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He has started only one league game in 2025, leading to speculation that the club would be prepared to listen to bids this summer.

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Several teams - from Newcastle to AC Milan and Barcelona to Al Nassr are reported to be interested in the 25-year-old, whose Liverpool contract runs until 2028.

Liverpool could end up getting a decent fee for Nunez, who joined the Reds in 2022 for a fee that could reach £85 million if all add-ons are achieved.

We say “could” reach because recent reports in Portugal suggest that the reason Liverpool haven’t been starting Darwin of late is a financial one.

Simply put, if the No9 starts once more in the Premier League (or Champions League) then Liverpool are alleged to owe selling club Benfica another €5m.

Slot discusses Darwin future

If Darwin is to leave in summer then it makes sense that Liverpool might want to hold off on paying another instalment.

The question was put to Arne Slot ahead of Liverpool’s Premier League match against Tottenham at Anfield on Sunday.

The head coach admitted that the story could well be true - but it’s the first he’d heard of it.

Two things, therefore, could be true at once. Slot isn’t convinced about starting Darwin for football reasons and, also, making a U-turn would indeed cost the club more money.

'Completely new to me' says Slot

“Do you always believe what journalists say?” Slot said. “Not always? Me neither.

“Sometimes you should, sometimes you shouldn't believe what is written about players. It's completely new to me.

“Normally a sporting director is judged on players coming in.

“The last, last, last thing he would do is tell me if you play him it would cost us this much... he'd never, never do that.

“He never interferes with the line-up. It might be true, but if a journalist says it we have to balance it…”

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If Darwin starts against Spurs - or even later in the season - the mystery could well be cleared up. Based on recent evidence, however, we won’t hold our breath.