Chelsea are reportedly interested in signing Darwin Nunez, a former Liverpool striker, from Al-Hilal this summer. The Uruguayan is very likely to leave the Saudi Pro League club, possibly on a loan deal at first. The Blues have done their homework and are trying to get ahead of a growing number of teams that want to sign the 26-year-old forward.
The move would be a huge surprise, bringing Nunez back to the Premier League less than a year after he left Anfield for Riyadh. His time in Saudi Arabia has gone downhill since he was cut from the league squad. Now, he can only play in AFC Champions League games, which means he has very few opportunities.
Meanwhile, a source close to the situation said that Chelsea have liked the player for a long time:
“Chelsea have liked Nunez for a while and still see him as someone to add spark and depth up front. Premier League clubs are lining up for Nunez, there’s a very concrete possibility of him leaving Al Hilal for a return to Europe this summer.”
The Blues are in talks with the agents of Al-Hilal’s Darwin Nunez, with the forward ready to take a big pay cut from his £400,000-per-week deal in order to make a return. That willingness to cut pay is a big step forward because it eliminates what was thought to be the biggest obstacle to any deal.
Nunez had a famously inconsistent time on Merseyside, just like current Blues forward Nicolas Jackson. After moving from Benfica to Liverpool for £64 million in 2022, he scored 40 goals in 143 games. Juventus are once again interested in the hitman, and Newcastle United are also said to be in the running, which makes for an interesting tug-of-war. Several Premier League teams want Nunez, and there is a very real chance he will leave Al-Hilal and return to Europe this summer.