Tottenham Hotspur target Darwin Nunez has been lavished with praise by Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp ahead of tonight’s Champions League clash.
The Uruguayan’s Benfica side host the German’s men in the first leg of the quarter-final tie at the Estadio da Luz.
Liverpool, who are chasing an unprecedented quadruple, come into the clash after beating Serie A champions Inter Milan in the last-16.
While the Portuguese giants dumped out Ajax in the first knockout round and the match-winner that night was man of the moment Nunez who scored a towering header.
That was the 22-year-old’s fourth Champions League goal of the season after earlier strikes against Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
Benfica’s number nine has 27 goals this season and he has been linked with a big-money move in the summer just two years after arriving in Lisbon from Almeria.
It’s claimed that Benfica now want a huge £60million fee for Nunez at the end of the season.
MORE TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR STORIES
Being one of the most coveted strikers in world football will see many top club eagerly anticipate how he fares in his battle with Virgil van Dijk tonight.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference yesterday afternoon, Klopp was full of praise for Nunez and has backed the South American to follow in the footsteps of his legendary compatriots Edinson Cavani and Luis Suarez, who are entering the twilight stages of their careers.
“He’s a good striker,” said Klopp.
“The next one from Uruguay! I don’t know how they play together, Cavani, Suarez and him, in one team – that’s probably a challenge to put that in place.
“Top, top boy. Yes, the goals he’s scored. Obviously the one against Ajax in Amsterdam was a massive one, yes in the group stage as well, so he’s not shy.
“He did not start the last game, he came on at half-time because of coming back from international duty, so we expect him to start tomorrow, and we have to make sure that he will not get a lot of balls.”
A Bola have reported that Arsenal, West Ham, AC Milan, Inter Milan and Manchester United all are interested in signing Nunez from Benfica in the summer transfer window.
While Jorge Mendes is working to try and secure Spurs a replacement should they sell Harry Kane this summer, with The Athletic reporting that Tammy Abraham and Nunez have been approached.