Ornstein reveals Liverpool blocked £85m approach as Aston Villa striker, Leverkusen star come into view

Saudi Pro-League side Al Nassr will decide on Wednesday whether to try close the signing of Victor Boniface or Jhon Duran with deals in place for both – but those moves have only been made after Liverpool blocked an incredible offer for Darwin Nunez and with the Reds’ long-term plans for the Uruguayan also coming to light.

The Reds signed Nunez in an initial £64m (€75m, $79m) deal from Benfica in summer 2022, though add-ons in that arrangement took the total package soaring to £84m (€100m, $105m) – making him the Liverpool‘s most costly signing of all time. However, it is fair to say the 25-year-old has blown hot and cold throughout his time at Anfield.

A big favourite of Jurgen Klopp’s Nunez has fallen down the pecking order this season under Arne Slot, with the Dutchman tending to prefer one of Diogo Jota or winger Luis Diaz in a central role more often than not. As a result, Nunez had scored just four times this season until he stepped off the bench to score two dramatic late goals in the recent 2-0 win at Brentford.

As a result of that inactivity, speculation over Nunez has begun to gather pace and it was rumoured that Nunez was being tracked in Saudi Arabia, with Al-Hilal prepared to offer the player a package worth £400,000 a week. However, as TEAMtalk sources revealed, both the Reds and Nunez had no desire to pursue such a move and the links appeared to have dispersed off the back of Ben Jacobs’ denial for us.

However, The Athletic journalist David Ornstein has revealed Nunez has now been the subject of another approach – this time from Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr, who are reported to have lodged a colossal £85m offer to the Reds for the 107-goal star.

That approach, though, was immediately knocked back by the Reds, with Slot banking on the striker to play a significant role for Liverpool over the second half of the season as the Reds chase glory on four fronts.

As a result, Ornstein claims Al Nassr have not rested on their laurels and have since reached a verbal agreement to sign Bayer Leverkusen hot-shot Boniface, while also having been given the green light to pursue the signing of Aston Villa striker Duran too. Deals for either are likely to cost more than £65m.

And according to Ornstein, Al Nassr will pick between the two players on Wednesday.

‘Al Nassr to decide on Wednesday whether to try to close a deal to sign Victor Boniface from #Bayer04 or Jhon Duran of #AVFC. Verbal agreement for Boniface to #AlNassr (not done) + Duran in the mix. Darwin Nunez other target but #LFC not selling,’ Ornstein wrote on X.

French paper L’Equipe reported later that Duran is now set to join Al Nassr with a fee in the region of £58.6m (€70m, $72.8m) agreed.

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Nunez’s long-term future at Liverpool not guaranteed

While Liverpool have no intention of selling Nunez in the meantime, there are no certainties that he will remain at Anfield beyond the end of this season and with the club open to the possibility of allowing him to move on if Slot can secure the services of a more reliable goalscorer and a player more capable of getting to grips with his tactical needs.

Slot himself has spoken about the player’s importance to Liverpool, though and having addressed his so-called profligacy in front of goal.

“For me, he has an impact. If you only look at goals, he hasn’t scored as many as he wants to score or we want a number nine to score,” Slot said last month.

“But he does have an impact in his work rate and that’s not just to prevent the other team from making a chance, but also for us when we lose the ball to be aggressive and we can get the ball back and create chances…

“…Maybe because the fans support him so much, he wants it almost too much, to score that goal for the fans and for himself.”

Despite that, Jamie Carragher fears time will soon run out for Nunez at Anfield.

“The conundrum is Liverpool have [Diogo] Jota as another option up front but he’s very injury-prone so you could leave yourself a bit short,” Carragher said.

“If you’re sure that bid is still going to be there in the summer you probably keep him [in January] but if you’re not sure that money will still be there this summer… it’s a lot of money.

“I would take the risk of selling him. Under Jurgen Klopp he was alright, it wasn’t great but it was okay because of that mad football, he would use his pace and have loads of shots.

“It’s a bit more slow and measured [under Arne Slot] and he’s almost just standing there, it’s not ideal for him.”

Robbie Fowler also feels there are question marks over Nunez’s abilities to truly make it as a Liverpool player.

“We’re saying the same things now as we were two or three years ago,” Fowler stated. “He’s raw, he’s this, he’s that.

“You can’t keep saying that. For me, the more I see him the more I think he’s not a Liverpool player.

“People might have a go at me for saying this because he works hard, you’re not signing a player because he works hard. That should be a prerequisite anyway.

“You’ve got to come here and score goals. I know he’s a fan favourite for what he puts in, but at the time we’re talking now you’ve got to perform better and do better in that Liverpool shirt.”

Latest Liverpool transfer news: Salah heir named as exit talk builds

Meanwhile, Liverpool have extra reason to fear Mo Salah will depart Anfield this summer after trusted journalist Jacobs revealed how Al-Hilal plan to get a bumper summer deal over the line and how the relationship between the player’s agent, Ramy Abbas, and Saudi officials could prove key.

The Egyptian’s exit will leave a near-impossible hole for Richard Hughes and Co to fill but Carragher has given a strong insight into the player FSG are most likely to target as his heir with the player seriously impressing the Reds sporting director and his army of scouts.

Elsewhere, the Reds have suffered a monumental blow in their pursuit of Bournemouth star Milos Kerkez after he issued a strong 15-word statement to rule out a move to Anfield.

Slot is understood to have made the Hungary international his No.1 target to replace Andy Robertson and a January offer was thought to be in the works. However, the 21-year-old’s comments may now make them think twice.

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