Transfer Centre

Matheus Nunes 'to stay at Sporting Lisbon amid Liverpool, Chelsea interest'

By Ben Knapton, Senior Reporter | 24 July 2022

Matheus Nunes 'to stay at Sporting amid Liverpool, Chelsea interest'

Sporting Lisbon manager Ruben Amorim reportedly convinces midfielder Matheus Nunes to stay at the club amid interest from Liverpool.

Sporting Lisbon midfielder Matheus Nunes is reportedly set to stay put with the Portuguese outfit amid interest from Liverpool.

The 23-year-old has earned links with a summer move to Merseyside after playing a key role in the middle of the park under Ruben Amorim last season.

Nunes scored four goals and set up five more in 50 games for Sporting across all competitions, including three goals and two assists from 33 Primeira Liga outings.

The midfielder broke into the Sporting XI during their triumphant 2020-21 season - winning the Portuguese top-flight title - and he extended his contract with the club until 2026 in October.

Sporting have already sanctioned Joao Palhinha's exit to Fulham this summer, which would make the task of prising Nunes away from his homeland all the more difficult.

Sporting Lisbon coach Ruben Amorim during the match in May 2021 © Reuters

According to Portuguese outlet O Jogo, Sporting manager Amorim has no intention of letting Nunes leave this summer and has convinced the 23-year-old to stay put for at least one more year.

Furthermore, with Nunes under contract at Sporting for another four years, it would reportedly take an offer of £51m for the Portuguese club to consider parting ways with the lynchpin.

Chelsea and Wolverhampton Wanderers will also be impacted by the news, with both Premier League clubs said to have been ready to rival Liverpool to sign Nunes this summer.

The Brazilian-born Portugal international arrived at Sporting from Estoril Praia in January 2019 and has gone on to register seven goals and eight assists in 99 games for the club since.

Nunes has won one Primeira Liga title, two Taca da Liga trophies and one Supertaca Candido de Oliveira title in the past three-and-a-half years, but Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp does not expect his side to make any more signings either way.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp pictured on July 11, 2022 © Reuters

Fabio Carvalho and Calvin Ramsay have both arrived at Anfield this summer, and Darwin Nunez could become the Reds' most expensive player in a deal that may reach up to £85m.

As a result, Klopp does not expect any new faces through the door at Anfield barring the need to make emergency acquisitions in case of injury or player sales.

"Unless we have injuries or player sales no, we have our squad. Hopefully, there won't be any so Liverpool supporters can focus on other things," Klopp told Sky Sports News.

A move for Borussia Dortmund's Jude Bellingham will also have to wait until 2023, but James Milner has signed a one-year extension at Anfield for the upcoming season.

As a result, Milner will continue to compete with the likes of Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, Thiago Alcantara, Naby Keita, Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in the midfield next term.