Manager tells Darwin Nunez: 'We don't want you'

Liverpool look set to overhaul their strikeline in summer with several star named now linked with the exit.

Anfield Watch revealed that the club were ready to listen to offers for Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez while there is also uncertainty around Luis Diaz and Federico Chiesa.

Liverpool transfer news today: Richard Hughes gets 'go ahead' to pull off 'well advanced' €60m deal

Nunez, 25, is likely to fetch the highest price in the transfer market. The Uruguayan is under contract until 2028 and was signed for a record £85 million fee back in 2022.

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Sporting director Richard Hughes and head coach Arne Slot were reluctant to lose Darwin in the winter, with a lack of viable alternatives listed among the reasons.

Saudi Pro League sides Al Nassr and Al Hilal both came forward with attempts to sign the No9 but Liverpool ultimately declined to do business.

That is not to say that Darwin won’t leave in summer with members of the former Benfica striker’s entourage now agitating for a move away from Anfield.

Barca don't want Darwin

But if Nunez was hoping to land at Barcelona then it looks like he is set to be disappointed.

Club president Joan Laporta and sporting director Deco are reported to be big fans of Darwin, believing they can unlock his potential and make him a star at Camp Nou.

But their pleas to get him to Barca have fallen on deaf ears as Hansi Flick, the head coach, is refusing to entertain the thought of signing Darwin.

Why? Because of Robert Lewandowski.

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Although the Poland captain is 36 years old, Flick doesn’t wish to move on from him, according to the latest report in El Nacional.

“Liverpool is willing to sell Núñez for around €50 million, significantly less than the €85+ million they originally paid,” says the report.

“Barcelona manager Hans-Dieter Flick has expressed doubts about Núñez's potential adaptation to Barcelona and has put the deal on hold.

“The underlying reason for Flick's hesitation is that he doesn't want competition for Robert Lewandowski, his preferred striker.

“Flick has also rejected other potential striker signings like Viktor Gyökeres and Alexander Isak.”

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Lewandowski has scored 95 goals in just 136 games for Barca and remains under contract until 2026. For his part, Nunez is struggling to match that kind of form, scoring seven times in 40 games this season.