Darwin Nunez could be open to a move to Saudi Arabia this summer - and Victor Osimhen may have just moved him closer to the Middle East.
Nunez looks likely to leave Liverpool this summer after three years at the club, during which time he has failed to live up to the hefty price tag the Reds paid to sign him from Benfica in 2022.
The Uruguayan has slipped further and further down the pecking order at Anfield, to the point that Arne Slot utilized Luis Diaz more and more in the No.9 role as the 2024/25 campaign progressed, leaving the writing on the wall for his time on Merseyside.
A move away from Liverpool looks almost certain this summer as Slot and sporting director Richard Hughes overhaul the squad for next season’s Premier League title defense.
Jeremie Frimpong has already signed up, while Florian Wirtz and Milos Kerkez look like they will be following soon. Beyond those three, a new striker looks to be one of Slot’s priorities, with plenty of names being linked.
Nunez, meanwhile, has been linked with Atletico Madrid, as well as a switch to Saudi Arabia, which may now be a bigger possibility.
According to Foot Mercato, the 25-year-old is open to a move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal, which may now turn its attention to Nunez after being rejected by Osimhen.
Victor Osimhen celebrates scoring for Galatasaray
Victor Osimhen is said to have turned down a move to Saudi Arabia (Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)
The Napoli striker is expected to finally bring his strained relationship with the Italian club to an end this summer, having spent last season on loan at Galatasaray. A move to the Middle East looks to be off the table now though, with Al-Hilal said to be admitting defeat in its chase for the striker, despite offering a huge $45.7 million per year deal.
Nunez is said to be more keen on a move to the Pro League than Osimhen, with Al-Hilal making contact with the Uruguayan’s representatives, although an offer is yet to be submitted to Liverpool.
Nunez was the subject of a failed bid from the same club back in January, and he has dropped hints that he could be keen on a move to Saudi Arabia.
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Back in April, the Pro League’s head of scouting, Thomas Spring, dropped Nunez’s name in the mix when discussing the sort of players the country’s clubs will target in the future.
"I think that the recruitment model will be a healthy balance between elite, world-class players," Spring told The Overlap. "So I still envisage a Mo Salah, a De Bruyne, a Darwin Nunez. I still envisage those players coming across.
"But I also envisage more emerging players like a Jhon Duran, for example, I see more younger players that are really operating successfully in leagues around Europe coming across. And that healthy balance being there.
"Then I also envisage that the ambition will still be there. So the goal of the SPL is to compete with Europe's top-five leagues. So whatever method to achieve that, whether that's staffing or facilities or player recruitment, medical, discipline, I envisage they will invest heavily into that. To come on par with Europe's top-five leagues."