Jose Mourinho refused to sign ‘world-class’ striker for Tottenham, now he could reportedly join Arsenal for £54m

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CalcioMercato revealed yesterday that Arsenal are keen to sign Benfica star Darwin Nunez.

The Gunners need at least one new striker in the summer, if not two. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang left the club last month while Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah are both set to walk away as free agents at the end of this season.

Dusan Vlahovic was heavily linked with a move to the Emirates in January but the Serbian ended up at Juventus. Alexander Isak is another one rumoured to be on Arsenal’s shortlist, but it looks like he’ll be on his way to Barcelona in the summer transfer window.

That has forced Arsenal to look elsewhere and Nunez has reportedly emerged as an option.

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Arsenal want Darwin Nunez

Nunez, labelled as a ‘world-class’ player in the making by Jorge Jesus, has been linked with a move to the Premier League for over 18 months now. A number of top sides have been mentioned in the papers and Arsenal are now apparently working to get him in.

The 22-year-old has been absolutely incredible for Benfica. He has scored 25 goals in 30 appearances this season and if he carries on, he could end the campaign with almost 40 strikes to his name.

Arsenal’s transfer policy now is to sign talented young players with massive potential. Mikel Arteta and Edu don’t care if they cost a lot of money – as we saw with Ben White in the summer – and Nunez definitely checks most of the boxes.

The report claims that Benfica are willing to let him leave, but it will cost Arsenal an eye-watering £54 million to sign him.

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Tottenham could’ve signed him in 2020

Back in September 2020, when Arsenal Football Club’s good pal Jose Mourinho was the manager of Tottenham Hotspur, Spurs were desperately looking for a backup to Harry Kane.

A number of strikers were linked with a move to Tottenham, including Nunez. The Daily Mail revealed that Mourinho really considered signing the Uruguayan but then, for reasons only he knows, decided against signing him.

Spurs signed Carlos Vinicius instead and that move didn’t work out. Ironically, Nunez went to Benfica for £20.5 million (Goal.com) to replace Vinicius and he has become an incredible player for them.

Spurs should be frustrated for missing out on Nunez in 2020 but they’ll surely kick themselves if their fierce rivals Arsenal get him in the upcoming summer transfer window.

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