Darwin Nunez faces an uncertain future at Liverpool
Darwin Nunez faces an uncertain future at Liverpool(Image: Photo by Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
All current transfer talk surrounding Liverpool is focused on potential arrivals, with the Reds reportedly closing in on both Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen and Milos Kerkez from Bournemouth.
While neither deal is over the line just yet, Liverpool are have submitted an improved offer for Wirtz this week, and discussions with Bournemouth over Kerkez are believed to be ongoing. The first transfer window of the summer has been open for less than a week, but by the time it closes on Tuesday, fans will be hoping those two arrivals follow Jeremie Frimpong through the door at Anfield.
Beyond the understandable excitement around potential signings, a major question mark remains over the future of striker Darwin Nunez. The Uruguay international has been heavily linked with a move away from the club this summer, just three years after his big-money transfer from Portuguese side Benfica.
READ MORE: Liverpool transfer news LIVE - Florian Wirtz bid, Milos Kerkez latest, Federico Chiesa priority
That said, with time running out in this initial transfer window, it’s becoming increasingly unlikely that he will be moved on before the market reopens on 16 June. Over the past year, Nunez has been linked with a number of clubs across Europe and beyond, few more strongly than Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal.
However, the Saudi club have been at the centre of another striker saga this window, with Napoli’s Victor Osimhen at the heart of a high-profile transfer pursuit. The Nigeria international has fallen out of favour at his current club and spent the 2024/25 campaign on loan at Galatasaray in Turkey.
It’s fair to say the story has taken several twists over the last 48 hours, as Al-Hilal ramped up their efforts to land Osimhen. Some reports even suggested the deal was on the verge of collapse, with Nunez emerging as the preferred alternative.
But the latest from journalist Ben Jacobs claims Al-Hilal have now scheduled a medical for Osimhen and hope to finalise the deal this weekend, building on earlier suggestions that an agreement with the player has finally been reached.
If those reports are accurate, Nunez may no longer be on Al-Hilal’s radar, and any potential move is unlikely to gather momentum until the window reopens later this month. Even if the Saudi club were to reignite their interest down the line, their involvement in the Club World Cup could complicate negotiations.
It’s also worth noting that Al-Hilal are not the only club linked with the Liverpool striker. Atletico Madrid and Napoli have also been named as potential suitors.
However, there has been little clarity on Nunez’s personal stance, whether he’d consider a move to Saudi Arabia at just 25, or if he’d prefer to continue competing at the highest level in Europe. One thing is becoming increasingly clear, however - Nunez’s future is unlikely to be resolved any time soon.