Darwin Nunez and Erling Haaland both earn a fortune, but one player earns a lot more than the other. Despite his huge salary in Saudia Arabia, though, Nunez is said to be keen on a move away
Darwin Nunez is reportedly looking to leave Saudi Arabia just months after leaving Liverpool.
Darwin Nunez is reportedly looking to leave Saudi Arabia just months after leaving Liverpool.
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Former Liverpool star Darwin Nunez could be on the move again, just months after his transfer to Al-Hilal from Merseyside. The striker had a patchy record at Anfield, having spent three years at the club following his move from Benfica.
Liverpool initially shelled out £64m for the forward, a figure that could have risen to £85m if all add-ons were met in the deal. This hefty price tag brought with it certain expectations and pressure, which Nunez sometimes lived up to, but not consistently enough for the team's liking.
On occasion, the Uruguayan would wreak havoc on the opposition - most notably his substitute appearance against Newcastle in 2023, where he netted two late goals to secure a 2-1 victory for Liverpool, despite being down to ten men.
However, his inability to regularly make such positive contributions ultimately led to the club's decision to let him go, with Nunez making the move to Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia.
Liverpool filled the void left by him with two centre-forward options, bringing in Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike, both of whom have had varying degrees of success so far.
As for Nunez, he's made 11 appearances for Al-Hilal, scoring five goals and providing two assists, as he seeks to establish himself in the team.
Yet, recent reports from Ole in Argentina suggest that River Plate are eyeing a move for him, having set aside some funds for his wages for the upcoming 2026 season.
Nunez could be set for a swift departure, having only just completed his move, with his substantial salary likely to play a crucial role in determining whether a transfer materialises in the coming weeks.
Since switching to Saudi Arabia, the ex-Liverpool striker pockets an eye-watering £20m annually, equating to approximately £400k per week.
To put that into perspective, Nunez would rank amongst the Premier League's highest earners, though it still falls short of Erling Haaland's £27.3m yearly salary, which works out at roughly £525k weekly.
Erling Haaland celebrates
Erling Haaland is Manchester City's highest earner(Image: Offside via Getty Images)
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This highlights the immense financial power the Saudi Pro League wields when attracting players, whilst also demonstrating the difficulties other clubs face when attempting to compete for these talents during transfer windows.
This would represent another dramatic twist for the forward, who had previously found himself struggling to feature in Arne Slot's plans at the club following a challenging campaign.
Back in February, the Liverpool manager addressed his situation, stating: "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."
Ultimately, that proved insufficient to secure his future at Liverpool, and his recent struggles in Saudi Arabia may well trigger another move.
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