Chelsea 'interested' in shock move for Liverpool star, Fabrizio Romano says Jurgen Klopp blocked previous deal

Darwin Nunez’s two goals for Liverpool at Brentford saw him move to joint-second in the charts for most stoppage-time goals for the Reds. The Uruguayan came to the Reds’ rescue in West London with two strikes in the 91st and 93rd minutes.

He has now scored five times past the 90th minute mark, adding to his late winner against Nottingham Forest last season, a late goal in a comfortable 4-0 win over Bournemouth and not forgetting his winning goal for the 10-man Reds at Newcastle United in August 2023. He is now level with Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres for stoppage-time goals for Liverpool while Sadio Mane is out in front with six.

“This shows his quality and how important he is for this team,” said goalkeeper Alisson Becker after the game. “Sometimes we didn’t win games because we cannot finish that way inside of the box, but today Darwin did really well, not only with the goals but with his attitude and the way he fights for every ball. You can say he doesn’t score too much this season, but he is working hard every day.”

Nunez attracting interest from Chelsea

Chelsea have “revived” their interest in Nunez after previously being frustrated in their attempts to sign the player. A bid of £70m from Saudi Arabia has already been rejected, according to reports, with the Reds valuing their striker at around £85m.

Journalist Simon Phillips claimed on his Substack ‘Si Phillips Talks Chelsea’ that the Blues are looking at Nunez as a possible option to bolster their attacking options. Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap has also been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge. Speaking about the possibility of signing a striker this month, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca was asked ahead of his side’s game with Wolves if the Blues plan to sign a striker. The question came after a run of five Premier League games without a win. He said: “No, because I think by being a little bit more lucky, we can convert and can score more goals. It’s not about [signing] a ‘killer’. In this moment, the one that’s probably missing the goal is Nico. But the way he is working is fantastic, and we don’t have any doubt that Nico is soon going to start scoring goals.”

Klopp ‘blocked’ previous deal

Chelsea’s previous interest in Nunez was confirmed by Fabrizio Romano back in April. Speaking ahead of the 2024 summer transfer window, the transfer reporter said on his YouTube channel: “Chelsea, at the end of last summer transfer window - summer transfer window 2023 - in the final weeks, when they were looking for a striker, they really tried to bring in Darwin Núñez. They really had conversations to make it happen.

“For Liverpool, it was a clear no, especially from Jurgen Klopp. What I heard is that Jurgen Klopp said no to that move and really wanted to keep Darwin Núñez at the club as a crucial player for present and future of Liverpool. But Chelsea were super keen on Darwin Núñez.”

After his double on Saturday, Virgil van Dijk also praised the striker for his performance: “You have to earn these things. As a striker you get judged on goals, especially at a club like Liverpool. Today he put his mark on the game, very important. We need everyone at their best. Today was his day.”