Liverpool told Chelsea Darwin Nunez was not for sale last summer after the Blues enquired about the striker’s availability, according to the Times.
However, they were not the only ones interested in recruiting the services of the Uruguayan international after speculation emerged within the football industry that Liverpool were considering offloading him.
Real Madrid also considered a move for Nunez before completing the deal for Jude Bellingham, according to Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.
The La Liga giants wanted a new striker after losing Karim Benzema to the Saudi Pro League, and they saw the Liverpool forward as an option, but the Reds did not entertain any idea of selling the former Benfica star after only one entertaining, if inefficient, season.
“I can tell you that last summer in June, before completing the deal for Jude Bellingham, Real Madrid considered a possible move for Darwin Nunez,” Romano said on his YouTube channel.
“This is a story from early June when Real Madrid made some calls to understand the situation of Darwin Nunez. Real Madrid tried to explore this move and it was discussed on both player and club side with Liverpool, but then Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool board decided to keep the player.
“But before signing Bellingham, Real Madrid considered a move for Darwin Nunez last summer.”
Nunez ended his debut campaign with Liverpool with nine league goals and three assists in 29 games, bagging six more goals and an assist in 13 games across other competitions.
The 24-year-old has 13 goals and 11 assists in 37 games so far this term, and the Reds will be glad that they did not sell him.
They never had it in their plans to sell Nunez, and rebuffing both Chelsea and Madrid would not have been hard for them.
However, the idea of joining the Spanish giants might have been tempting to the Liverpool striker.
He is beginning to prove his worth after struggling last term and will be looking to fire the Merseysiders to a quadruple this term.
Premier League leaders Liverpool take on Chelsea in the final of the Carabao Cup on Sunday and are still competing for the FA Cup and Europa League, so winning all four trophies is very feasible given their current form.
