Report: Manchester City’s Stance on Benfica’s Darwin Nunez Revealed Amid European Interest

Manchester City are reportedly set to battle Barcelona and Real Madrid to sign SL Benfica’s Uruguayan forward Darwin Nunez.

The 22-year-old has been in prolific form for Jorge Jesus’s side in the early stages of the season and have already netted six times in just ten matches across all competitions, including a brace in the famous win over Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League.

The Uruguay International has been linked with a move away from the Primeira Liga outfit in recent months, with Pep Guardiola’s side believed to be one of the team leading the race for his signature.

The premier champions failed to replace Sergio Aguero earlier this year, increasing the likelihood of a high-profile name arriving at the Etihad Stadium in 2022.

The Cityzens have been recently linked with big money moves for Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland, but a move for either player could trigger a world record fee, with the Premier League club reportedly eyeing other options ahead of the 2022/23 season.

According to a report from Italian outlet Calciomercato, the interest in SL Benfica forward Darwin Nunez is soaring with each passing day as Manchester City vying for his signing.

Nunez, who is understood to have a £127.5m (€150m) release clause in his contract, is also attracting interest from  Barcelona, Real Madrid, AC Milan and Inter Milan.

The Uruguayan hitman, who still has a contract with Benfica until June 2025, hit 14 goals and 12 assists in all competitions last season, showing his quality as an all-round striker.

For Pep Guardiola’s side to maintain their dominance in England and take the next step in Europe, a quality striker would be a necessary signing, which explains their interest in Nunez.

The Cityzens have Gabriel Jesus as the only natural No. 9 in the squad currently. However, Ferran Torres had excelled playing as a centre-forward this season before being struck down by an injury, while Phil Foden has also shown potential when playing through the middle.