Real Madrid are not ready to pay the big bucks for Darwin Nunez, with the 22-year-old Uruguayan striker reportedly having a €150 million release clause.
According to a report by Spanish outlet Defensa Central, Real Madrid appear set to end their pursuit of Darwin Nunez, owing to a €150 million release clause, which Benfica are adamant gets triggered for the 22-year-old striker to depart.
Darwin Nunez has made quite an impression since joining Benfica from Almeria in the summer of 2020. After a decent enough maiden campaign at the Portuguese club, the Uruguayan international has exploded at the onset of the 2021/22 season, almost scoring goals for fun at times.
So far this term, the 22-year-old striker has amassed a return of six goals in eight appearances in all competitions, producing a minutes to goal ratio of 87. His electric start to the season has not gone unnoticed either, with Real Madrid among several clubs keen on securing the services of Nunez.
The interest from Real Madrid is interesting but not unsurprising. While Erling Haaland remains the priority to bolster the central striker’s berth, it is worth noting that the Borussia Dortmund hit-man is set to be the most highly sought-after player in recent memory when his release clause comes into effect next summer.
With the who’s who of Europe all after Haaland, it will be prudent of Real Madrid’s part to keep their options open, making Nunez a viable target. However, the Merengues have now hit a major stumbling block in pursuit of the 22-year-old, that obstacle being his release clause.
Nunez has an exit clause worth around €150 million in his deal with Benfica, which has left Real Madrid with second thought over his pursuit. With the objective being to spend a major chunk of their budget on Haaland and Kylian Mbappe (wages), the pursuit of Nunez is now set to take a back seat.
What now remains to be seen is if Real Madrid are forced to turn their attention back towards Nunez, which will likely be the case if they cannot land Haaland. For now, the Norwegian striker remains the priority for Los Blancos, with a summer move set to be pursued for him.