Reported Newcastle United transfer target Darwin Nunez scored his second hat-trick of the season in Benfica’s latest league victory.
The Magpies have been linked with a big-money move for the young striker in the January transfer window.
Portuguese outlet Record claim that the Toon Army are one of a number of clubs keen on signing the young star.
Following his hat-trick against Famalicao, Nunez now has 14 goals and two assists to his name from 19 matches in all competitions this season.
At the age of 22, Nunez’s burgeoning reputation continues to be enhanced due to his goalscoring exploits. The Uruguayan is currently the joint-top goalscorer in the Portuguese league, alongside another rumoured Newcastle transfer target Luis Diaz. The pair have 11 league goals apiece.
Darwin Nunez not a player for the current Newcastle United project
After qualifying for the Champions League last-16 at Barcelona’s expense, Benfica were drawn against Ajax in yesterday’s UEFA re-draw.
Both sides will fancy their chances of progressing to the quarter-finals. The Portuguese giants are unlikely to be tempted to cash in one of their prized assets, especially ahead of the resumption of the Champions League in February.
Besides, Benfica boss Jorge Jesus, who expects his young striker to become world class, has predicted that Nunez’s transfer fee when he eventually leaves the Portuguese giants, will end up being more than the club-record €126m (£113 million) they got for Joao Felix, when he moved to Atletico Madrid in July 2019.
However, Nunez’s second hat-trick of the campaign took his tally to 14 goals this season, which is just three fewer than what the entire Newcastle team has managed so far this season.
The Uruguay international’s trio of goals came on the same day that Eddie Howe’s side were put to the sword against Newcastle.
Capable from playing on the left, or as a second striker, Nunez could help lighten the goalscoring burden on Callum Wilson and give the club’s number nine some much-needed support.
However, regardless of Newcastle’s new-found wealth, Nunez is the type of signing PIF will want to unveil when the club is embarking on the next phase of the ambitious project.
Right now, the club desperately needs an injection of quality from signings who can hit the ground running, following the January transfer window.
Signing Nunez is a pipe dream right now, but if we somehow find a way to survive this season, the chances of luring the South American to Tyneside in the summer will enhance dramatically.
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