A shocking trade almost happened.
“Liverpool tried to trade Darwin Núñez, 24, for João Felix, 23, of FC Barcelona in the summer transfer window,” Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo reported on June 6. However, the deal fell through due to Felix’s preference for a move to Barcelona.
Núñez joined Liverpool from Benfica ahead of last season. He was a prolific and fast player, with decent header ability. Liverpool were looking for a replacement for Sadio Mane, who left for Bayern Munich, and Núñez was their choice. The transfer fee was a whopping €100 million, including several options, so Liverpool’s hopes were high.
However, he didn’t quite live up to his transfer fee. In 42 appearances in all competitions, he scored 15 goals. That may not seem like a bad record, but it’s certainly not good enough considering his €100 million transfer fee.
He got off to a slow start this season. After coming on as a substitute in the first three games, he came up big against Newcastle in the third round. Coming on as a 32nd minute substitute, Núñez scored the equalizer four minutes later to level the game. He then scored a theater goal in stoppage time to give Liverpool the three points. He then started against Aston Villa in the fourth round and picked up an assist. It’s still a good thing for Liverpool that they didn’t trade for Felix.
Felix, who was almost traded for Núñez, was also a disappointment last season. In 2019, he left Benfica to join Atletico Madrid. The transfer was a record-breaking €126 million ($182 million). While Felix had a decent season, he didn’t live up to his transfer fee. In 131 appearances in all competitions in an Atletico Madrid shirt, he scored just 34 goals. 메이저놀이터
Then, in the middle of last season, a feud broke out with head coach Diego Simeone. The situation spiraled out of control, and Felix left for Chelsea on a six-month loan last winter. But even at Chelsea, he struggled. In 20 appearances, he scored just four goals.
He returned to Atletico Madrid this summer and is currently on a one-year loan at Barcelona. He made his Barcelona debut as a substitute against Osasuna in the fourth round of La Liga.