Liverpool exit nears as £85m flop gives ‘green light’ to Atletico Madrid with one ‘remaining issue’

Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez is ready to leave Anfield this summer with a transfer to Atletico Madrid edging closer, according to reports.

The Reds won the Premier League title at a canter with Arne Slot achieving the feat in his first season since succeeding Jurgen Klopp as manager.

And, with Liverpool in no other competitions, Slot and sporting director Richard Hughes have already started attempting to bring in players for next season.

After passing his medical at Liverpool earlier this week, Bayer Leverkusen defender Jeremie Frimpong will become a new Reds player and replace the outgoing Trent Alexander-Arnold, who is set to join Real Madrid on a free transfer.

There have also been rumours that Leverkusen attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz is on their radar, while Bournemouth defender Milos Kerkez is their top target at left-back as they eye another five signings.

A new striker will also be on their list with Nunez’s expected departure after the Uruguay international had a poor season on an individual level.

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After being brought to the club for £85m from Benfica by Jurgen Klopp, Nunez has fallen out of favour with new head coach Slot this season.

Nunez made just eight Premier League starts for Liverpool this season with the Uruguayan coming off the bench on 21 occasions, scoring five goals and providing two assists.

And now Spanish outlet Cadena Ser claims that Nunez has ‘given the green light’ for La Liga side Atletico Madrid to make a move for him this summer.

Nunez is ‘the name they have on the table’ to strengthen their forward line in the summer and ‘they’ve already spoken with the Uruguayan striker’ about a transfer.

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The report adds that ‘it’s clear that the player would be delighted to join Atletico de Madrid’ and that ‘everything has been discussed with the player’.

It is understood that ‘the player’s approval to join Atlético Madrid is also on the table‘ and that the ‘only remaining issue is the negotiations with Liverpool’.

But they admit that Liverpool ‘aren’t going to give him away’ and Nunez’s arrival ‘will depend on the sale of Angel Correa’ this summer.

But former West Ham and Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp reckons Liverpool should persevere with Nunez as he is a “real handful” for defenders.

Redknapp told BetVictor: “I don’t think Liverpool should let Darwin Nunez go. He can be a real handful for defenders and is lightning quick; a centre-back’s worst nightmare.

“If they did let him go, I don’t think they’d necessarily need to find a replacement; Liverpool have a lot of depth in forward positions and there’s not a lot of options on the market at the moment.

“There’s Matheus Cunha at Wolves, who looks like he could be nearing a move to Manchester United, he’s a great player. But I’m not sure what kind of forward Liverpool are after, because Cunha isn’t an ‘out and out’ number nine.

“Everybody is looking for forwards, but where do you find them? Arsenal need to find a striker from somewhere, but who’s around? Harry Kane and Erling Haaland are the best in the field at the moment, but it’s very difficult to find world class players up front.”