---
title: "Brighton & Hove Albion: Seagulls could have one key advantage in Darwin Nunez transfer race [Opinion]"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/brighton-darwin-nunez-transfer-advantage-benfica/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Liam Togher"
section: "Brighton & Hove Albion"
published: "2020-08-20T13:00:47Z"
modified: "2020-08-20T13:00:47Z"
---

# Brighton & Hove Albion: Seagulls could have one key advantage in Darwin Nunez transfer race \[Opinion\]

**Brighton face competition from a club in the Champions League in the race to sign [Darwin Nunez](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/brighton-transfer-rumours/brighton-prepare-transfer-offer-darwin-nunez/) – although the Seagulls may have one notable advantage to potentially tip the scales in their favour.**

[Sky Sports](https://www.skysports.com/transfer/news/11741/12052378/darwin-nunez-brighton-rival-benfica-for-almeria-striker) reported that Benfica, who finished [second in the Portuguese top flight](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/primeira-liga/tabelle/wettbewerb/PO1/saison_id/2019) last season, are also interested in the striker, who was initially linked with Brighton last week by Spanish media outlet [La Voz de Almería](https://www.lavozdealmeria.com/noticia/6/deportes/198677/la-premier-tambien-se-fija-en-darwin).

However, as noted by [Sky Sports](https://www.skysports.com/transfer/news/11741/12052378/darwin-nunez-brighton-rival-benfica-for-almeria-striker), the Sussex outfit already have a strong relationship with the 21-year-old’s club Almeria, having signed [Leonardo Ulloa](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21050648) and [Tomer Hemed](https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11741/9894258/tomer-hemed-is-set-for-a-move-to-brighton) from the Spanish second tier side.

![](https://cdn.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/THE-BREAKDOWN.png)

Nunez has put himself in the shop window by scoring [16 goals](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/darwin-nunez/leistungsdaten/spieler/546543) for Almeria as they narrowly missed out on promotion to La Liga, [beaten by Girona](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/promocion-de-ascenso-a-laliga/startseite/wettbewerb/ES1P/saison_id/2019) in the play-offs over the last week. He has an average of a goal every other game, having made [32 league appearances](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/darwin-nunez/leistungsdaten/spieler/546543) in the 2019/20 campaign.

The youngster also had an international debut to remember, scoring within five minutes of his introduction as a subsitute for Uruguay in their 1-1 draw against Peru last October (as per [TransferMarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/darwin-nunez/nationalmannschaft/spieler/546543/verein_id/3449)).

\[freshpress-quiz id=”306835″\]

According to [La Voz de Almería](https://www.lavozdealmeria.com/noticia/6/deportes/198677/la-premier-tambien-se-fija-en-darwin), Brighton are willing to offer around €15m (£13.5m) for the striker, although that falls 25% short of Almeria’s reported asking price of €20m (£18m).

The Seagulls have fared reasonably well with their previous attacking acquisitions from the Segunda Division club. Ulloa hit a respectable 28 goals in 70 appearances across two spells at the Amex Stadium, half of which came in the 2013/14 Championship season (via [TransferMarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/leonardo-ulloa/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/54890/verein/1237)). Hemed managed 33 goals in 108 games in Sussex, including 11 in the promotion-winning 2016/17 campaign (via [TransferMarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/tomer-hemed/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/112668/verein/1237)).

![](https://cdn.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Verdict.png)

Brighton’s existing relationship with Almeria could give them the edge over Benfica in the chase for Nunez, who may have a better chance of playing regularly at the Amex than for a club in the Champions League like the Lisbon outfit.

\[freshpress-poll id=”315001″\]

However, the Uruguayan’s only top-flight previous has [come in his native country](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/darwin-nunez/detaillierteleistungsdaten/spieler/546543), and with [no prior experience in England](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/darwin-nunez/detaillierteleistungsdaten/spieler/546543), a fee of £18m could represent a significant gamble on Brighton’s part, particularly with football clubs’ finances [set to be restricted amid the global pandemic](https://www.ft.com/content/067a3eeb-e915-48af-8384-94fdc495cf59).

***Brighton fans, do you think Nunez would be a good addition at the Amex? Comment below with your views!***