Benfica’s breakout star ‘dreaming’ of a move to Manchester City

Benfica striker Darwin Nunez is ‘dreaming’ of a summer move to Manchester City, reports the Record (h/t The Manchester Evening News)

Darwin Nunez, 22, has been in sensational form for Benfica this season, racking up 26 goals and two assists in 33 matches across all competitions so far. The Uruguayan international has taken his game to the next level, catching the eye of a number of clubs across Europe in the process.

Manchester City are among the clubs interested in Nunez. In fact, the Record (h/t The Manchester Evening News) claims that Pep Guardiola has been keeping a close watch on him and an opportunity could arise for Man City to sign him at the end of the season.

The Sky Blues are on the lookout for a new top-quality centre-forward ahead of the summer. While they signed highly-rated Julian Alvarez from River Plate in January before and loaning him back, the club sold Ferran Torres to Barcelona earlier this year which has vacated a spot in City’s attacking ranks.

Moreover, the futures of players such as Raheem Sterling, Gabriel Jesus and Riyad Mahrez are far from certain, while Guardiola failed to bring in a replacement for Sergio Aguero last year.

Borussia Dortmund’s Erling Haaland is the top target of Manchester City. The English champions have reportedly opened initial talks with Haaland’s camp and have come up with a lucrative offer, owing to their financial muscle. They seemingly have a deal in place with the Norwegian striker, as the player looks to leave Dortmund this summer.

If Manchester City are ready to put all their eggs in the Haaland basket, the door for Darwin Nunez to join Guardiola’s side will be all but shut. Nunez is coveted across Europe after enjoying a superb campaign with Benfica, with a fee of €80m believed to have been put on his head.

But as Man City are ready to invest a fortune on Haaland, a move for Nunez in the same window doesn’t seem feasible.