Don’t adjust your screens. One year on from leaving Anfield, Darwin Nunez is rumoured to be in the frame for a contentious return. Here are a few reasons why it could work.
Liverpool committed an unprecedented £200 million to a forward line revamp 12 months ago, with Nunez among those making way and joining the Saudi Pro League exodus.
It was a parting of ways to suit all parties, but since then, both sides have suffered their own respective struggles.
The Uruguayan bagged nine goals in all competitions for Al-Hilal, before being cast aside following the January arrival of Karim Benzema from Al-Ittihad.
Meanwhile, Liverpool’s title defence was as good as over before it truly started. It feels unthinkable, but could a reunion be an answer to the current strike force conundrum, at least on a temporary basis?
Straying from the conventional approach
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Tuesday, January 21, 2025: Liverpool's Darwin Núñez after the UEFA Champions League game between Liverpool FC and Lille OSC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Tuesday, January 21, 2025: Liverpool's Darwin Núñez after the UEFA Champions League game between Liverpool FC and Lille OSC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Stopgap signings have scarcely been on the club’s radar since FSG took the keys in 2010, with long-term planning very much at the forefront of any transfer strategy within each passing year.
It is a blueprint that has yielded glory beyond our wildest dreams, with the Reds picking up every major honour available to them under the stewardship of the Boston-based consortium.
Concurrently, the steadfastness of aspiration involved in maintaining such an impressive transfer hit rate has frustrated supporters at points. Interim market opportunities have passed us by with patience and perseverance often favoured over plan B.
They say you should never go back, but the prospect of captain chaos wreaking havoc under the governance of Andoni Iraola has, somewhat inexplicably given the circumstances, got supporters a little giddy ahead of 2026/27.
LONDON, ENGLAND - Sunday, May 4, 2025: Liverpool's Darwin Núñez during the FA Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Liverpool FC at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea won 3-1. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
LONDON, ENGLAND - Sunday, May 4, 2025: Liverpool's Darwin Núñez during the FA Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Liverpool FC at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea won 3-1. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
On the face of it, it seems like an irrational heart-over-head one, but there is a trace of logic stirred into this particular nostalgia pot.
Hugo Ekitike is unlikely to feature until the back end of next season as he works his way back from a ruptured Achilles, while Alexander Isak is yet to fully make his mark following his recovery from a broken leg.
Despite an enormous summer outlay, it leaves the Reds in need of at least one more temporary solution at the top of the pitch, as well as longer-term investment in plenty of other areas.
This would be a marriage of convenience
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Monday, August 4, 2025: Liverpool's Darwin Núñez during a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Athletic Bilbao at Anfield. Liverpool won 4-1. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Monday, August 4, 2025: Liverpool's Darwin Núñez during a pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Athletic Bilbao at Anfield. Liverpool won 4-1. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
As we have alluded to, Liverpool don’t tend to do stopgaps. Here, though, circumstance may just dictate it to be necessary.
Fans have pointed to free agents, such as Robert Lewandowski, as potential one-year remedies while we await the full recoveries of our main men, but wage demands make that a move unlikely to ever get off the ground.
For all his flaws, Nunez brings with him Premier League know-how and an X factor that will lift bums off seats one way or another.
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Season Apps Starts Goals Assists
2022/23 42 26 15 4
2023/24 54 33 18 13
2024/25 47 17 7 5
Total 143 76 40 22
His 2022 arrival brought with it all the fanfare you’d expect of a record-breaking No. 9 purchase, which inherently presents its own challenges.
Unhelpful comparisons to Erling Haaland and constant reminders of the price tag plagued his early Liverpool months, aided in no way by a needless red card on his Anfield debut against Crystal Palace.
This time around, the pressure valve can be released slightly; the backpack would be significantly emptier and the shackles could come off.
There is no doubt that Nunez is a player who suffers when inside his own head, and the scrutiny he endured throughout his stint on Merseyside certainly took its toll.
AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS - Wednesday, October 26, 2022: Liverpool's Darwin Núñez celebrates after scoring the second goal during the UEFA Champions League Group A matchday 5 game between AFC Ajax and Liverpool FC at the Amsterdam Arena. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS - Wednesday, October 26, 2022: Liverpool's Darwin Núñez celebrates after scoring the second goal during the UEFA Champions League Group A matchday 5 game between AFC Ajax and Liverpool FC at the Amsterdam Arena. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Still just 26 years old, there is much left to be achieved in the game if he can get himself back into a good place both physically and mentally.
The familiar surroundings of Anfield may be just the place to start.
Proceeding with caution
Of course, the natural reservations are justifiable. There were no tears shed when the centre-forward’s departure was confirmed back in August; his lack of composure in front of goal often left us with more questions than it answered.
HONG KONG - Saturday, July 26, 2025: Liverpool's Darwin Núñez during the Hong Kong Football Festival 2025 pre-season match between Liverpool FC and AC Milan at the Kai Tak Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
HONG KONG - Saturday, July 26, 2025: Liverpool's Darwin Núñez during the Hong Kong Football Festival 2025 pre-season match between Liverpool FC and AC Milan at the Kai Tak Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
As a football fan, though, there is sometimes a lot to be said for doing things for the plot.
We’re often guilty of taking ourselves too seriously, and the pragmatic, levelheaded conversations should and will always be left to the decision-makers.
There are few Liverpool strikers in history who could boast a late-winner collection as grand as that of Nunez, and the passion he could inject into an Iraola side couldn’t be replicated by any other free transfer, should he indeed terminate his current deal as is being reported.
Understandable concerns remain over whether the current squad has the legs to execute the high-tempo style the incoming manager will demand of his players, but intensity was never something the South American was accused of lacking.
2T7PJ2K Uruguay's Darwin Nunez celebrates scoring his side's second goal against Argentina during a qualifying soccer match for the FIFA World Cup 2026 at La Bombonera stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
2T7PJ2K Uruguay's Darwin Nunez celebrates scoring his side's second goal against Argentina during a qualifying soccer match for the FIFA World Cup 2026 at La Bombonera stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
His reported desire to make the return tells you all you need to know about the regard in which he still holds the club, irrespective of any misdemeanours along the way.
It should be reiterated that this would only need to be a temporary fix. Nunez would arrive with a totally different role from the one he was first assigned four years ago.
Ultimately, Liverpool need to beef up the squad this summer and there isn’t an endless pot of money with which to conduct all the surgery required. Quick wins such as this one aren’t necessarily easy to find.
It would be a laugh, if nothing else.
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Football – FA Premier League – Liverpool FC v AFC Bournemouth
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Friday, August 15, 2025: Bournemouth's Alex Scott during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and AFC Bournemouth at Anfield. Liverpool won 4-2. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)