Liverpool close in on Darwin Nunez deal as talks reach final stage

Liverpool are close to agreeing a deal with Benfica over Darwin Nunez that would smash the club’s transfer record.

Talks are currently ongoing between the two clubs. While agreement on a payment structure in line with Liverpool's valuation is yet to be finalised, swift progress is being made.

Virgil van Dijk is currently the Reds' record signing, arriving from Southampton for a £75million fee in January 2018, though Nunez could push the club past this mark in a deal believed to be worth €80m (£68.3m) plus €20m (£17m) in potential add-ons.

Nunez was due to feature for his home country, Uruguay, in an international friendly with Panama this evening but will reportedly fly to Europe to carry out necessary formalities such as medial examinations ahead of his proposed move to Merseyside.

The increasingly likely arrival of the 22-year-old comes as Sadio Mane moves closer to the exit door. The Senegalese forward is subject to interest from Bayern Munich, who have already seen two bids for the 30-year-old rejected by the Reds. There is expected to be further movement on that front next week.

Bayern's opening offer of £21million plus £4m in add-ons was immediately turned down by Liverpool, who also knocked back a follow-up proposal of a guaranteed £23.5millilon and a further £6.5m in bonus payments.

The latter submission was reportedly laughed off by Anfield officials, who discovered such add-ons would only be achieved should the German giants win the Champions League in each of the next three years, as well as Mane securing the Ballon d'Or in each year of his contract at the Allianz Arena.

Liverpool have already sealed their first summer signing in the form of Fabio Carvalho, whose arrival was announced last month following