The Uruguay international, who turns 23 next week, was the top scorer in Portugal’s top division last season with 26 goals, scoring a total of 34, including one in each of Benfica’s Champions League quarter-final matches against Liverpool. His arrival with a six-year contract will pave the way for Santo Mane to join Bayern Munich. Discussions continue for a transfer for the Senegalese striker, who has stated that he wants a new challenge. Núñez’s starting salary will be 64 64 million, but that salary could rise to £ 85 million if he reaches certain milestones in his Liverpool career, including winning the Champions League. The signature is subject to international approval and work permit. Liverpool see the signing as a statement of intent in their bid to challenge Manchester City for the Premier League title and are another wing for new sporting director Julian Ward, who has moved quickly to repel Manchester United. Warda, who takes on the role left by the influential Michael Edwards, was key to the hiring of Luis Diaz in January and the club believes that the timely completion of the deal will allow Nunez to settle down and enjoy a full preparation. The striker, who is expected to earn around .000 140,000 a week at Anfield, said on the club’s official website: “I am very happy and delighted to be here in Liverpool. It is a huge club. Darwin Nunez will wear the No. 27 jersey vacated by Divok Origi to Milan. Photo: Nick Taylor / Liverpool FC / Getty Images “I would like to thank my partner and my parents and my son, who is a real source of pride for me. They were very important to me in the stages of my career. I’m really proud of them and the work we do, me and my partner, as a team and I’m grateful to be here. “It is a pleasure to be here in Liverpool and I am very happy to be part of this great club. I have played against Liverpool and I have seen it in many games in the Champions League and it is my style of play. There are some great players here and I think it will fit my style of play here. “As I say, I have watched a lot and it is a very big club and I hope to give what I have to help the team.” The Fiver: sign up and receive our daily football email. Núñez will wear the No. 27 jersey for Liverpool and will become the third Uruguayan to sign for the club, after Luis Suárez and Sebastián Coates. “When I got to the training ground, I was surprised to see the setup and the structure and all the trophies here,” he said. “You can then imagine yourself winning more trophies and later, when you come here again and see the trophies appearing, you can say, ‘Look, I was part of that, I was there at the time, winning trophies.’ “That’s one of the reasons I came here to Liverpool – to win trophies and titles. “I want to win a lot of trophies in Liverpool.”
