Liverpool could offload Uruguay striker Darwin Nunez to Al-Hilal for mega money this summer after Manchester United attacker Bruno Fernandes rejected a move to the Saudi Pro League club. The Merseyside giants will be keen to raise some cash in the coming months as Arne Slot looks to bring in fresh faces to take his side to the next level.
Slot enjoyed a sensational maiden campaign in the Anfield dugout as he led his side to the Premier League title at the first attempt. The Dutchman has already signed Jeremie Frimpong and is closing in on completing a deal to land the right-back’s former Bayer Leverkusen team-mate Florian Wirtz. A deal for Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez also appears to be on the cards, with a string of other players also being targeted.
Liverpool will need to make room in their squad for their new arrivals, with a host of current stars far from guaranteed to be at Anfield come the start of next season.
Nunez could be sacrificed as he has failed to hit the heights expected of him since arriving from Benfica for an initial fee of £64million three years ago.
The Reds rejected a £70m bid from Al-Hilal for Nunez back in January as the offer fell £15m short of the price they were after.
But The Guardian reported last month that Al-Hilal are still being linked with the 25-year-old, while reports this week suggest the Saudi giants have now made Nunez their top target after talks broke down over a move for Victor Osimhen.
Al-Hilal will need to pay big money if they are to sign Nunez, with the forward still having another three years remaining on his contract at Anfield.
And the Saudi club will have money to burn if they don’t have to spend it on Osimhen or Fernandes.
United star Fernandes was pursued by Al-Hilal last month as the team aimed to snap him up in time for the Club World Cup, which gets underway on June 15.
But after rejecting a move, Fernandes explained: “There was that possibility. The president of Al-Hilal called me a month ago to ask me about it. There was a waiting period for me to think about the future.
“As I have always said, I would be willing to do it if Manchester United thought so. I spoke to coach Ruben Amorim, who throughout that period was very annoying to me not to go. The club said they would not be willing to sell me, only if I wanted to leave.
“It was a very ambitious proposal. The president was a fantastic person. We never discussed the amount [initially]. With my agent, of course. Then I spoke to my wife and family, and she asked me what my personal goals were in my career. It was an easy move, even at a family level.”