Portuguese Media Furious with Liverpool Over Darwin Núñez

Portuguese media outlets have erupted in outrage over Liverpool's handling of Darwin Núñez, accusing the club of deliberately benching the Uruguayan striker to avoid triggering a €5 million add-on clause in his transfer from Benfica. The controversy stems from reports that the payment activates once Núñez reaches his 50th Premier League start, with the forward currently sitting on 49 appearances.[1]

The fury intensified after Núñez's cryptic social media post on Saturday morning, which he quickly deleted but not before fans captured it. Translated from Portuguese, the message read: "No wonder I didn't play more, because the last game I started in the Premier League went well and suddenly…" This appeared to reference his recent benchings, particularly following his goal-scoring start against Southampton in a 3-1 comeback win. That match preceded key fixtures like the Paris Saint-Germain second leg and the Carabao Cup final, where manager Arne Slot opted not to select him.[1]

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot addressed the speculation in his pre-Tottenham press conference, dismissing it with skepticism: "Do you always believe what journalists say? Sometimes you should, but sometimes it's better not to believe everything that is written about players." Despite Liverpool's strong position to win the Premier League, Núñez's frustration hints at deeper issues, raising questions about his long-term future at Anfield.[1]

Portuguese journalists have labeled Liverpool's tactics as "unfair" and "financially motivated," fueling debates about the ethics of performance-related clauses. Benfica stands to gain the bonus, but critics argue it undermines Núñez's development. Names of other clubs like Manchester United have surfaced in older reports as past suitors, though Liverpool secured the deal in 2022.[2]

As tensions simmer, Núñez's Anfield career hangs in the balance amid Liverpool's title charge. Fans and pundits await clarity on whether this marks the end of his Reds tenure.

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