Revealed: The €5m Reason Why Arne Slot Isn’t Starting This Liverpool Star | OneFootball

Liverpool May Save €5m by Benching Nunez as Summer Exit Looms

As Liverpool chase silverware and gear up for a seismic summer, the situation surrounding Darwin Nunez has taken another twist. According to Portuguese outlet A Bola, Benfica are growing increasingly anxious that the Uruguayan forward may not feature in Liverpool’s starting XI again this season—not due to form or fitness, but finance.

“They claim that Benfica have received €10 million out of a possible €25 million in bonuses from Nunez’s transfer to Liverpool,” the report stated. The structure of the deal, agreed when Nunez moved to Anfield in 2022, was heavily incentivised. “The structure of the deal saw Liverpool pay €5 million after Núñez started 10 matches in the Premier League and Champions League, and another €5 million once he reached 25 starts in those competitions.”

Now, with only five games left in Liverpool’s season, Nunez stands on the cusp of triggering the next bonus milestone—just one start away from a third €5 million payment. But he hasn’t started since March, and A Bola reports that “Benfica fear Liverpool may hold him back from starting to avoid activating the €5 million clause – especially as Núñez looks likely to leave the club this summer.”

Slot’s Squad Management Raises Eyebrows

Under Arne Slot, who took charge following Jurgen Klopp’s departure in May 2024, Nunez has increasingly found himself on the periphery. While some of this has been attributed to poor form—nine goals in 31 appearances this season—the context around team selection appears to run deeper.

Slot’s recent selections offer telling clues. Against Leicester, with Liverpool chasing a late winner, Nunez remained on the bench. The symbolism was clear: trust lies elsewhere. Players like Cody Gakpo and Diogo Jota have regularly featured in central roles, while Nunez watches from the sidelines.

Financial and Tactical Realities Intersect

If Liverpool are indeed managing Nunez’s playing time to avoid a contractual trigger, it speaks volumes about the cold calculus now woven into top-level football. With the club preparing for another summer of squad refinement, every financial decision carries weight. For a player on the brink of departure, saving €5 million may simply make pragmatic sense.

Chiesa and Elliott Also Sidelined

Nunez isn’t the only talent finding minutes scarce. Federico Chiesa, a high-profile arrival from Juventus last summer, has logged just 25 minutes of Premier League football. His last start came in January’s FA Cup shock loss to Plymouth. Similarly, Harvey Elliott, who made 50 appearances last season, has featured just four times under Slot’s command in all competitions this term.

Photo: IMAGO

The message from Liverpool’s new era is becoming increasingly clear: reputations alone won’t earn you minutes.

Our View – Anfield Index Analysis

For many Liverpool supporters, the Nunez saga is frustrating yet unsurprising. On raw talent, Nunez showed flashes of becoming a genuine Anfield hero—pace, physicality, and unrelenting energy. But inconsistency and a lack of composure in key moments have worn patience thin.

Slot’s tactical rigidity and clear midfield blueprint have pushed Nunez further out of the picture. When fans see late-match situations crying out for a striker’s instinct—and Nunez is benched—they’re left wondering whether something more than football is at play.

The report from A Bola won’t ease concerns. If true, and Liverpool are managing appearances to sidestep bonus payments, it confirms a hard-nosed financial policy. But fans are divided: some believe it’s smart business in a post-FFP world, others see it as short-sighted and cynical.

Whatever the reasoning, the writing seems on the wall. Nunez’s future likely lies away from Merseyside. But how Liverpool handle the next five games—on and off the pitch—could shape the narrative of a player whose Anfield career never quite took flight.