Brighton and Hove Albion could hold the advantage over Southampton as the battle to sign Almeria striker Darwin Nunez heats up between two South Coast rivals, according to Sky Sports.
It turns out money cannot buy you everything after all.
Despite splashing out the sort of sums seldom seen in Spain’s second tier, including £8 million on Nottingham Forest starlet Arvin Appiah, a Saudi-backed Almeria side have been consigned to yet another season of Segunda football.
And a two-legged defeat to Girona in the play-off semi-finals surely means that Nunez has played his final game for the Rojiblancos.
Almeria are hardly lacking in ambition or funds but, will all due respect, their star striker is on his way to bigger and better things.
Calciomercato report that Southampton made an £11 million for a Uruguayan international who scored 16 times in 32 times during his debut season in European football.
Almeria, for what it’s worth, want closer to £18 million.
But the club from a few miles down the coast have an ace up their sleeve.
Sky points out that Brighton have an excellent relationship with Almeria, having worked on deals in the past to bring Tomer Hemed and Leonardo Ulloa to The Amex.
Nunez, a ‘fast, very strong’ attacker who is ‘like Edinson Cavani’, could be the sort of instinctive finisher Graham Potter’s side need if they are to transform themselves from relegation candidates into a team capable of a top-half finish.
Inspired by the likes of Aaron Mooy and Leandro Trossard, Brighton played some of the prettiest passing football in the league last season – but a lack of ruthlessness in front of goal had them flirting with a relegation battle until the final few weeks.
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