Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version or go back to LFC Live.net

Image Credits: Getty Images

Napoli has reportedly set a timeframe on when the Darwin Nunez deal needs to be finalized before they seek other options.

Wide-spread reports suggest Napoli have won the striker’s favour, giving him the “green light” to join Antonio Conte’s project after outlining their vision for him in Naples.

Formal negotiations are underway between the clubs, with initial bids around €43 million (approx. £36.4 million) plus performance-based add-ons of €7 million, though Liverpool remain hopeful of recouping closer to €65m.

Personal terms are said to include a five-year contract running until 2030, offering Nunez a base salary of €5 million per season, and bonuses to reflect his potential impact.

Having rebuffed lucrative offers from the Saudi Pro League, the forward has opted to stay in Europe, viewing Napoli’s Champions League and Serie A ambitions as the ideal platform to reinvigorate his career.

But it seems Napoli are growing impatient regarding negotiations according to reports from Italy.

According to Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport, the Partenopei have placed a two-day deadline on negotiations, warning they may redirect their focus toward Udinese’s forward Lorenzo Lucca if a deal for Nunez cannot be agreed swiftly.

They want to find a solution with the Reds within 48 hours.

Liverpool’s €60 million valuation of their 26-year-old forward remains the primary stumbling block?

Napoli’s hierarchy views that figure as steep.

Lucca, valued at roughly €30 million and admired for his physical presence and aerial prowess, sits atop Napoli’s contingency list, with Inter Milan also monitoring his situation keenly.

Napoli’s sporting director, Giovanni Manna, is leading efforts to bridge the valuation gap.

It’s important to note that it could also simply be a negotiating tactic from either Napoli or indeed Darwin Nunez’s entourage trying to pile on the pressure.

The Uruguayan’s limited playing time became increasingly apparent in the season’s latter stages, with Nunez failing to start a Premier League match after the victory over Southampton on March 8.

This reduction in opportunities coincided with reports suggesting Liverpool owed Benfica an additional €5 million if he reached 60 starts, though Slot dismissed these claims as unsubstantiated.

Want to get the latest Liverpool news direct to your phone