Man Utd transfer blow as Real Madrid prepare Darwin Nunez bid after missing out on Kylian Mbappe

MANCHESTER UNITED have suffered a blow in their pursuit of Benfica striker Darwin Nunez.

The 22-year-old Uruguayan forward has been on the Red Devils' radar for some time.

He has proven to be prolific in front of goal, netting 34 times in 41 appearances this season.

His performances have caught the attention of Arsenal as well as Man Utd.

But now they appear to have competition in the form of Spanish champions Real Madrid.

According to Record, the LaLiga giants have identified Nunez as a potential target after they missed out on Kylian Mbappe.

Mbappe, 23, signed a new lucrative deal with Paris Saint-Germain last week to keep him at the club until 2025.

His decision came after Madrid had pursued him for the best part of 12 months as his existing PSG contract threatened to expire.

Now Carlo Ancelotti and Co are searching for someone to fill the void Mbappe's rejection has left.

And Nunez could be the perfect option for them as they look for a long-term successor to Karim Benzema.

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Earlier this month, it was reported that Man Utd are willing to pay £67.8million for his services.

However, they may have hit a stumbling block after failing to qualify for the Champions League.

Nunez is thought to have snubbed United, Arsenal and Newcastle because they all failed to secure a place in Europe's premier competition.

Real Madrid have no such issue as they won the LaLiga title and are also in the final of this year's Champions League where they will face Liverpool on Saturday.