Former Liverpool star Darwin Nunez could be on the move again just months after he left to join Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia, where his reported wages put him alongside the Premier League's top earners
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA - SEPTEMBER 13: Darwin Nunez of Team Al-Hilal FC celebrates scoring their first goal during the Saudi Pro League match between Al Hilal and Al Qadsiah at Kingdom Arena on September 13, 2025 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Abdullah Ahmed/Getty Images)
Darwin Nunez has been making headlines in Saudi Arabia(Image: Abdullah Ahmed, Getty Images)
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Ex-Liverpool ace Darwin Nunez may be leaving Saudi Arabia already, just months after he made the switch to Al-Hilal from Merseyside. The striker struggled to show consistency in his performances at Anfield, having spent three years at the club upon joining from Benfica.
The Reds spent an initial £64m on the forward, which could've reached a total of £85m if all add-ons were reached in the deal. That fee came with some challenges and pressure, which Nunez met well in some circumstances, but couldn't quite replicate often enough for the team.
At times, the Uruguayan would cause chaos for the opposition - most memorable of all would be his substitute appearance against Newcastle in 2023, where he bagged a brace late on to help Liverpool win 2-1 with just ten men.
The inability to regularly impact games positively like that ultimately led to the hierarchy deciding against keeping him, with Nunez joining Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia.
Liverpool replaced him with two centre-forward options, as Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike joined the club, with mixed fortunes for both so far.
For Nunez, he's managed 11 appearances for Al-Hilal, with five goals scored and two assists to his name, as he looks to kick on with the side.
Darwin Nunez left Liverpool in the summer
Darwin Nunez left Liverpool in the summer
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However, recent reports from Ole in Argentina state that River Plate are looking to make a move, having allocated some funds towards his wages for the upcoming 2026 season.
It would be a quick exit for Nunez, who only recently made the move, with his huge wages likely to be a factor in whether a transfer is possible or not in the coming weeks.
In making the switch to Saudi Arabia, the former Liverpool man earns a huge £20m per year, which is worth nearly £400k per week in terms of wages.
For context, that would put Nunez among the top earners in the Premier League, though it doesn't get quite close enough to Erling Haaland, who earns £27.3m per year, or around £525k a week in wages.
It shows just how wealthy the Saudi Pro League is to players who wish to make the move there, but it also shows how challenging it can be for other teams to compete when it comes to targeting those stars in the transfer window.
It would mark yet another turnaround for the star, who had previously struggled to stay in Arne Slot's plans at the club, after a difficult previous campaign.
Erling Haaland celebrates Manchester City's thrilling victory over Fulham
Erling Haaland celebrates Manchester City's thrilling victory over Fulham
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Speaking back in February, the Liverpool boss questioned him, as he said: "I can accept every miss, especially from a player that has scored two very important goals against Brentford, that scores for us in the home game against Villa.
"I would prefer him to score, but the word 'chance' says it all. It's a chance, so it's not 100 per cent sure that the ball goes in, and players miss chances.
"That I can accept but what was a bit harder for me to accept was his behaviour after that chance. I think it got too much in his head, where he wasn't the usual Darwin that works his a** off and makes sure he helps the team."
In the end, that wasn't enough to keep him in Liverpool, and his latest unease in Saudi Arabia could lead to yet another transfer.