Liverpool manager Arne Slot has dismissed suggestions that Darwin Nunez is not starting Premier League fixtures due to financial reasons.
The Merseyside giants are currently preparing for Sunday's encounter with Tottenham Hotspur knowing that avoiding defeat will ensure that they win the Premier League title.
However, Slot is no stranger to off-the-pitch speculation being discussed in press conferences having frequently had to answer questions on the futures of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah.
However, ahead of this weekend's contest, Nunez was the topic of conversation with a report earlier this week suggesting that another top-flight start for the Uruguay international would result in Liverpool paying Benfica a fee of €5m (£4.3m).
Nunez is currently on 49 Premier League starts for Liverpool and it is alleged that making 50 such appearances in that competition would activate a lucrative add-on for his former club.
© Imago
'Don't believe everything that is written'
Speaking at a media briefing on Friday, Slot insisted that the suggestion that such a clause was in place was "completely new" to him and that no conversations had been held with club officials.
The Dutchman told reporters: "Do you always believe what journalists say? Not always? Me neither. Sometimes it is better not to believe everything that is written about players.
"[The clause is] completely new to me. The last thing I would expect Richard Hughes [sporting director] to do is tell me that if I play Nunez it would cost us this much.
"He would never do that. He never interferes with the lineup."
© Imago
Should Liverpool fans expect a Nunez start?
Of Liverpool's last 16 Premier League games, Nunez has started on just one occasion, with that coming at home to Southampton on March 8.
Nunez chipped in with a goal and an assist in that fixture, yet he has featured for just 38 minutes across four league games since then - the striker was not part of the squad for the match with West Ham United on April 13.
Amid speculation of a transfer elsewhere in the summer, it would make no logical sense for the 25-year-old to start another match for Liverpool if the aforementioned clause is in place.
That will particularly ring true if Liverpool wrap up the Premier League title this weekend, there being four matches remaining after welcoming the North Londoners to Merseyside on Sunday.
Darren Plant
