Credit: X
In an unexpected twist, Napoli has informed Liverpool of cancelling the deal to sign Uruguayan forward Darwin Nunez due to the high transfer fees of €70 million. Sports journalist Fabrizio Romano on his official X account stated that Napoli has called off the deal and is looking forward to signing Lorenzo Lucca from Udinese. Further, the forward is expected to leave the club this summer to join a Saudi club.
President Aurelio De Laurentiis considered the deal far too expensive, as acquiring the Liverpool outcast would have required an investment exceeding €50 million, along with significantly higher wages. Meanwhile, the Italian striker Lucca is set to arrive on loan for €9 million, with an obligation to buy for €26 million. The parties are expected to finalize and sign the five-year agreement later this week.
Al- Hilal keeping a tab on Darwin Nunez deal with Napoli
According to The Athletic’s David Ornstein, Al-Hilal are keeping a close eye on Nunez and “a move for him is expected to progress again soon.” Al-Hilal had already tried to secure his signature back in January with a staggering £558,000 per week. Since then, the club has seen Neymar depart in January, while their summer pursuits of Victor Osimhen have fallen through, with the forward now anticipated to leave Napoli for Galatasaray. A transfer to Riyadh remains a real possibility for Nunez. Although initial reports suggested he favored a move to Spain or Italy, journalist David Lynch revealed in May that the striker was looking forward to joining the Saudi club.
Lucca while playing for Udinese scored 14 goals in 36 appearances and has earned five caps with the Italian national team. Throughout his career, he has also represented Vicenza, Pisa, Palermo, and Ajax. Meanwhile, Napoli bolstered their attacking options just yesterday by bringing in Noa Lang from PSV Eindhoven.
