Liverpool told final Darwin Nunez transfer decision as manager green lights move

Darwin Nunez's move to Napoli is off and Antonio Conte is set to welcome another target, Udinese's Lorenzo Lucca, as a cheaper alternative to the Liverpool star

Liverpool will have to find a new buyer for Darwin Nunez after Napoli pulled the plug on negotiations. Nunez, 26, was ready to swap Merseyside for Naples after three difficult seasons at Anfield.

The Uruguayan has failed to live up to his £85million price tag, scoring 40 goals in 143 games since joining from Benfica in 2022. Liverpool's addition of Florian Wirtz, who can play as a centre forward, for £116m plus their ambitious pursuit of Alexander Isak has signalled that Arne Slot is looking to upgrade on Nunez for the upcoming season.

Napoli were favourites to sign the striker but Liverpool's demands have seen them turn to a cheaper alternative. The Premier League champions had set their asking price at £70m whereas Napoli were only willing to pay £50m for Nunez.

Instead, the Serie A title winners are set to sign Lorenzo Lucca from Udinese. The 24-year-old will join Napoli on a season-long loan for £8.2m with an obligation to buy worth £22.5m, with reports indicating that boss Antonio Conte is a big fan of Lucca and has green-lit the move.

Nunez could still find a way out, though, with clubs in Saudi Arabia pushing for his services. It's been claimed that new Al-Hilal boss Simone Inzaghi has identified the former Benfica star as a target if they fail to sign Victor Osimhen, who's on loan from Napoli but hasn't reported for pre-season training.

Liverpool will be cautious of leaving themselves short in attack, however. Bayern Munich recently made a bid for Luis Diaz, who's also wanted by Barcelona, while the tragic death of Diogo Jota will also have sporting repercussions.

Nunez last started a competitive match for the Reds on March 8, scoring in a 3-1 win at home to bottom-of-the-table Southampton. The Uruguay international also got on the scoresheet when Liverpool faced Preston North End in their first pre-season friendly on Sunday, another 3-1 victory.

Should Liverpool sell Darwin Nunez? Have your say in the comments section.

Former Liverpool defender Markus Babbel believes that it's time to move on, though. "The problem with Darwin Nunez is that he misses too many chances.

"I think it's got to the point where Arne Slot has lost confidence in him. I think the best thing for Nunez would be to move on from Liverpool, but it won't be easy because he'll be expensive."

Babbel, speaking to Adventure Gamers, added: "I think Serie A or La Liga would be fantastic leagues for him, because the defending isn't the best in Italy and Spain - especially in Spain! If you're a striker, then it's much easier to score goals in those countries.

"You look at Romelu Lukaku at Napoli – he was at rock bottom at Chelsea, but Conte brought him back to Serie A, and he looks back to his best. Maybe if Darwin Nunez moved to Italy or Spain, it would be easier for him to get back to his best."