Darwin Nunez’s time at Anfield looks set to end, with Liverpool accepting a €53 million (£46.3m) offer from Saudi club Al-Hilal. The Uruguay striker is now expected to travel for a medical before completing his move.
The 26-year-old joined Liverpool from Benfica in 2022 for an initial £64m. Though he showed flashes of brilliance, his time in Merseyside has been mixed. Last season, Nunez started just eight Premier League matches as the Reds reclaimed the league title.
Still, he managed seven goals in that campaign and impressed in pre-season, netting five in four games—including a 20-minute hat-trick against Stoke City.
Al-Hilal’s move for Nunez ends months of speculation. The Saudi giants had been tracking the forward for some time. In January, Liverpool reportedly turned down a £61m bid from rivals Al-Nassr. Napoli were also said to be interested earlier this summer.
The Saudi Pro League continues to attract big names. Al-Hilal’s squad already features players like Ruben Neves, Joao Cancelo, Kalidou Koulibaly, Aleksandar Mitrovic, and goalkeeper Yassine Bounou. They are currently managed by former Inter Milan boss Simone Inzaghi and finished second last season.
For Liverpool, this sale could help unlock other moves. The club is understood to be pursuing Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak, though their initial £110m bid was turned down. The Magpies value the Sweden international at around £150m.
Liverpool have already spent heavily this window. German playmaker Florian Wirtz arrived from Bayer Leverkusen for a club-record £116m, while French striker Hugo Ekitike joined from Eintracht Frankfurt for £79m.
They’ve also seen some high-profile departures. Luis Diaz has joined Bayern Munich for £65.5m and midfielder Tyler Morton has signed for Lyon in a £15m deal. Young midfielder Harvey Elliott could also leave in the coming weeks.
Whether Nunez’s departure proves wise will depend on who Liverpool bring in next—and how well they fit in Jürgen Klopp’s rebuilt side.
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