Five times Liverpool broke their transfer record for striker and what happened to them amid Darwin Nunez’s £85m move

LIVERPOOL are set to sign Darwin Nunez from Benfica in a club-record £85million deal.

The Reds have been quick to agree a deal with the Portuguese club under the noses of rivals Manchester United.

Liverpool are set to announce the arrival of striker Darwin Nunez from BenficaCredit: Getty

Jurgen Klopp has been keen to find a replacement for Bayern Munich-bound Sadio Mane, with the forward unwilling to extend his stay at Anfield.

Nunez enjoyed a stunning 2021-22 season where he chipped in with 34 goals and four assists in 41 games in all competitions.

The Uruguay international, 22, scored in both Champions League quarter-final ties against the Merseyside outfit.

Big things are expected of the ex-Almeria ace, and here SunSport takes a look at how Liverpool’s previous club-record strikers have fared at the club.

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Stan Collymore – £8.5m – 1995

In figures posted by the Liverpool Echo, the Reds forked out £8.5m on the centre-forward after his goalscoring exploits at Nottingham Forest.

At the time, the transfer broke the English record which was previously set by Andy Cole’s move to Old Trafford in January 1995.

Collymore formed a formidable partnership with Robbie Fowler, with the pair banging in a combined 55 goals in his opening season.

He fell out of favour under Roy Evans towards the end of his second year with Michael Owen preferred instead, and he was sold to Aston Villa for £7m in 1997.

In total, Collymore scored 31 goals from 81 outings in all competitions.

Stan Collymore failed to hit the heights expected of him at Anfield after joining from Nottingham ForestCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd

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Djibril Cisse – £14.5m – 2004

A popular figure amongst Liverpool fans, the Frenchman arrived from Auxerre on the back of scoring 30 goals during the 2003-04 campaign.

Injuries limited him to just five goals in 25 games in his first season, though he did score in the club’s Champions League penalty shootout victory against AC Milan.

And he would help Liverpool win the FA Cup the following year after scoring their first goal against West Ham.

Like against Milan, the fixture went to penalties, though Cisse didn’t take part in the shootout.

He was shipped off on loan to Marseille in 2006, with the French club subsequently turning his temporary stay into a permanent switch.

Djibril Cisse won the Champions League, FA Cup and the Uefa Super Cup with LiverpoolCredit: Reuters

Fernando Torres – £20.2m – 2007

Despite failing to win a trophy during his time at Liverpool, the Spaniard is undoubtedly one of the club’s finest strikers in the Premier League era.

Torres arrived at the club from Atletico Madrid with a huge reputation, and he showcased his lethal finishing throughout his time in Merseyside.

His first season saw him bang in 33 goals in all competitions, with 24 of those strikes coming in the top-flight.

He set a Premier League record for the most goals scored by a foreign player in a debut season in England.

Torres was also named in the PFA Team of the Year, while he was shortlisted for both the Player and Young Player of the Year awards.

After 81 goals in 142 matches, he handed in a transfer request to force through a £50m move to Chelsea in January 2011.

Fernando Torres became one of Europe’s most feared strikers during his time at LiverpoolCredit: Getty

Andy Carroll – £35m – 2011

The towering centre-forward was brought in alongside Luis Suarez to fill the void left by Torres.

But while Suarez flourished after joining from Ajax, Carroll failed to handle the pressure of being Britain’s most expensive player after leaving Newcastle.

Carroll banged in 11 goals in 19 Premier League games during the first half of the season, but added just two goals to his tally after making the move to Liverpool.

Nine goals followed in the 2011-12 term – including a thumping strike in the 2-1 FA Cup final defeat to Chelsea.

He was flogged to West Ham on loan that summer, with the Hammers then permanently signing him where he stayed until 2019.

Andy Carroll flopped at Liverpool after joining from Newcastle for £35m in January 2011Credit: PA:Press Association

Mohamed Salah – £43.9m – 2017

One of the club’s best ever signings and arguably Liverpool’s greatest player in the Premier League.

A two-time PFA Player of the Year winner, the Chelsea flop has dazzled fans since swapping Roma for the Reds.

He has banged in 156 goals in 254 games, with the forward instrumental in the club winning the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup and Club World Cup.

Salah has just one year left on his deal, and it remains to be seen whether he will extend his stay beyond 2023.

Mohamed Salah has set the Premier League alight since signing for LiverpoolCredit: PA

Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk