David Ornstein has been speaking on The Athletic Football Podcast about Darwin Nunez, with Liverpool set to unveil their new signing.
What’s the story?
Well, Ornstein was discussing why a move for the Uruguay international makes more sense for the Reds than to spend heavily on keeping their current stars at Anfield.
As things stand, Mohamed Salah is set to become a free agent in June 2023, with talks between Liverpool and the Egypt international stalling for some time now.
Ornstein suggests the Liverpool No.11 is asking for a salary in excess of £400,000-a-week, which would shatter the club’s wage structure, and perhaps disrupt the strong harmony created by Jürgen Klopp.
Interestingly, The Athletic’s football correspondent states that a deal for Nunez, irregardless of the transfer fee, is much more in keeping with what Liverpool want to do, as he would presumably be earning around £100,000-a-week.
Ornstein said: “What is essential here is the wage structure, which needs to be respected for Liverpool to keep a harmonious camp and to remain sustainable. Paying Mo Salah in excess of £400,000-a-week going into his thirties is one thing. It’s a much bigger question than paying Darwin Nunez, I don’t know what it will be, but £80, £90, £100 or £110,000-a-week. That slots in perfectly.”
Forget Salah for a moment. We believe this situation is already in motion, but with Sadio Mane in the spotlight.
The Senegal international is said to be requesting £400,000-a-week, with his contract also expiring in June 2023.
Despite his status as a cult hero at Anfield, it is clear that Liverpool see more value in moving Mane on, and replacing him with someone who wouldn’t obliterate the wage structure.
Darwin Nunez is a great signing
In our view, Liverpool are once again showing why they are an example to many in the transfer market.
If all goes to plan, Julian Ward looks set to receive £40m from Bayern Munich for Mane, who is now 30 years of age.
The Liverpool No.10 will then be replaced by the 22-year-old Nunez for an initial sum of £64m, a player who is eight years younger and therefore represents a shrewd long-term addition, all for the net spend of just £24m.
Of course, the deal could still rise to £85m in add-ons, but if they are met, it means Liverpool are succeeding, so in many ways, it’s a win-win scenario for the Reds.
Only time will tell if Nunez does well, but from a financial aspect, Liverpool are very, very clever operators.
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