Jurgen Klopp talks up Darwin Nunez amid transfer links

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has affirmed that in-demand Benfica striker Darwin Nunez has a "big career ahead of him".

The Uruguayan was on target for the Portuguese side in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final with the Reds last week but could not prevent a 3-1 defeat at the Estadio da Luz.

A hat-trick against Belenenses at the weekend took Nunez's tally to 31 goals for the season in all tournaments, and a number of top European sides are expected to battle for his signature in the summer.

Liverpool are among the teams to have been linked with a move for Nunez, and Klopp liked what he saw from the 22-year-old in last week's first leg.

"An extremely good-looking boy eh?! He is a really good boy - he played in front of me battling against [Ibrahima] Konate. He was calm for the finish. He is good, really good. If he stays healthy, he has a big career ahead of him," Klopp told reporters ahead of the second leg.

Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain are all thought to be in the race for Nunez, but Benfica coach Nelson Verissimo wants the club to try to match the £113m they sold Joao Felix for in 2019 if they are to part ways with the South American in the summer.