Darwin Nunez, Liverpool’s former record signing, is on the cusp of a surprise summer exit, with Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal purportedly putting in a formal bid of around £61 million (€70 million) with Darwin as their leading transfer target through manager Simone Inzaghi after missing out on Victor Osimhen earlier in the window.
2023/2024 season of Nunez
The Uruguayan, who had a tough time integrating into the squad last season following the appointment of new Liverpool boss Arne Slot, has just started eight Premier League matches in 2023/24 and scored five goals, looks to be receptive to the chance. An earlier interest from Al Nassr in January saw Liverpool turn down a more substantial offer mid season to preserve the integrity of the squad, but now in a different window the priorities of all have shifted.
New reports are emerging that personal terms with Nunez are being negotiated ahead of formal club negotiations, suggesting a desire to get closure on all sides. Sources close to the situation have indicated that Liverpool would likely sanction a deal if they got the valuation they wanted and if Newcastle United managed to sign their striker target Alexander Isak, it would then be believed Liverpool would move to speed up a Nunez exit to fund their move.
This would set off a chain of high profile signings, Liverpool is interested in Isak, Newcastle are looking at Benjamin Sesko, and Al Hilal’s current striker Aleksandar Mitrovic could potentially be made available. The wider transfer chain depends on a series of interconnected deals that must happen in the right order and quickly before the transfer window shuts.
Liverpool’s transfer market this season
Liverpool’s decision to sell Nunez based on their own move, which has already been made official following the transfer of Luis Diaz to Bayern Munich is perhaps telling, as they have gained considerable financial headroom to use in pursuing attacking reinforcements like Hugo Ekitike, Florian Wirtz, and Jeremie Frimpong. AC Milan had shown interest, but they reportedly backed out over the valuation disagreement, Napoli, meanwhile, were well below Liverpool’s asking price for Nunez.
If the move to Al Hilal goes through, it changes the narrative from European aspirations to a straightened and lucrative Saudi project, and while potentially delivering Liverpool a good fee for transfer, it raises questions of sporting logic. Nunez will find himself in new scrutiny again; success could potentially see him return to Europe; failures may see him chastised for wasting valuable years in his prime. Liverpool supporters find themselves at a tipping point in what will be an important summer: will the Nunez departure create the finances necessary to fund a transformative arrival or will it mark the end of Liverpool’s major ambition for the season?
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