Former Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez has garnered interest from multiple clubs for a potential summer transfer. He could leave Al-Hilal after they signed Karim Benzema from Al-Ittihad earlier this month.
Nunez joined Al-Hilal from Liverpool last summer for a reported fee of €53 million. He has scored nine goals and provided five assists in 24 games for them. However, due to Benzema's arrival and the strict foreign player rules in Saudi Arabia, Nunez has become ineligible for league games for the rest of the season.
Hence, as per TeamTalk, the Uruguayan striker is looking to return to Europe in the summer. Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United are interested in signing him, with speculation about Richarlison and Nick Woltemade's futures, respectively. Atletico Madrid and Juventus are also monitoring Nunez's situation.
The 26-year-old joined Liverpool from Benfica in 2022 for a reported fee of €85 million plus add-ons. He scored 40 goals and provided 26 assists in 143 games for the Reds, winning the Premier League title and the EFL Cup.
Nunez's contract with Al-Hilal expires in 2028, and as per Transfermarkt, his market value is €35 million. As per TeamTalk, he earns over €400,000 a week in wages in Saudi Arabia and will have to take a big pay cut to return to Europe.
When Marcel Desailly claimed former Liverpool striker would be a good fit for Chelsea
The Blues signed Liam Delap and Joao Pedro from Ipswich Town and Brighton & Hove Albion, respectively, last summer. While Pedro has been excellent for them, recording 14 goals and eight assists in 36 games across competitions. Meanwhile, Delap has struggled to make a big impact, contributing two goals and four assists in 25 games.
Former Chelsea defender Marcel Desailly said in November last year that the Blues should sign Darwin Nunez, saying:
"Nunez for me, was perfect, spot on. Young, he had bad luck at Liverpool but if Liverpool took him it means that they've seen real potential. I wanted Darwin Nunez to come into the system with confidence, with Maresca in a good system - it could have really been helpful for Chelsea.
"Not too expensive. This is my opinion, I really would have loved to see that player in the squad. If he's still in the market and Saudi is not suiting him correctly, he could be the one that comes back."
Notably, Desailly mentioned Enzo Maresca's system at Chelsea, but the Italian head coach was sacked in January and replaced with Liam Rosenior.