According to reports, Angel Correa’s potential departure after the Club World Cup will leave a gap in Atletico’s attack. Diego Simeone does not want to be left without a suitable replacement for his compatriot, and Darwin Nunez, Liverpool’s Uruguayan striker, has been identified as a cost-effective and efficient option. This choice aligns with positive reports on Nunez and the club’s strategy to revive players, similar to Luis Suarez’s case.

Atletico has prioritized summer transfers like Cristian Romero and Alex Baena and is unwilling to spend heavily on a striker. Nunez, whom Liverpool has informed he has no future at the club, is an ideal candidate.

Liverpool’s sporting director, Michael Edwards, is searching for replacements like Joao Pedro, Alexander Isak, and Benjamin Sesko. Meanwhile, Nunez’s agent, Jorge Mendes, is seeking a new club for him. In January, Al-Nassr made an offer, but Nunez rejected it, and John Duran joined instead. Despite a poor season, Nunez still has a market in Europe and does not intend to move to Saudi Arabia. Nottingham Forest is also interested, especially if they qualify for the Champions League, but Atletico remains the frontrunner.

Liverpool paid €75 million to Benfica for Nunez three seasons ago and now seeks to recover part of this investment. Given his current market value of €50 million (per Transfermarkt), Liverpool is ready to loan him out, provided the receiving club covers his wages and includes a mandatory purchase option. With this formula, Liverpool hopes to earn €40-45 million.

Nunez has only scored 7 goals and provided 7 assists in 42 games (1920 minutes) this season, a significant drop from his early days in England. However, Liverpool manager Arne Slot sees him as a team player with an impact off the bench, though his recent behavior has been controversial. Nunez aims to revive his career away from Anfield, and Atletico could benefit from this mutual separation. Nunez is familiar with Atletico and sees a move to Madrid as attractive. Ultimately, everything depends on financial negotiations between Atletico and Liverpool.