Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez has interest from the Saudi Pro League once again and the Uruguayan could move on before the transfer window closes in just under a month.
Earlier this week, Nunez was linked with a switch to Serie A again with Juventus the latest club mentioned as a possible destination for the South American. Previously, Napoli held an interest before moving on to other targets.
But according to Fabrizio Romano, the Saudi Pro League outfit Al Hilal has now made contact with the player to discuss a potential move. There was interest from the Middle East in January, too, though Nunez stayed put and won the Premier League title.
After spending big this summer, Liverpool could recoup a substantial amount through selling several players, though they won't be allowed to depart on the cheap.
The Reds feel, for instance, that they got a good price for Luis Diaz, who joined Bayern Munich in a deal that will be worth around $88 million (£66 million) if all the add-ons are met. And Nunez would leave for a similarly large fee, offering another big boost to the coffers.
Federico Chiesa is also expected to move on amid interest from multiple Serie A teams, while Tyler Morton could join Lyon in France, and Harvey Elliott might also depart if interest in the midfielder is firmed up.
Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez during the game against Yokohama Marinos.
Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez during the game against Yokohama Marinos. (Image: Koji Watanabe/Getty Images)
As well as negotiating sales, Liverpool also remains a fan of Newcastle striker Alexander Isak and had an opening offer turned down on Friday. It remains to be seen what the next step in that saga will be, though Stuart Pearce says Nunez should head to the North East.
"I think if a deal does get hashed with Newcastle, I think maybe [Darwin] Nunez going in the opposite direction to Newcastle might be the way that makes Newcastle better off," Pearce told Chronicle Live.
"In my opinion, Nunez might be the one full of energy. He might just be the one that the new Newcastle fans take to. He creates chances for himself, for sure.
"He's just been a little bit wasteful over time. If he gets that right, all of a sudden he'll be a very effective replacement for Isak. If I was Newcastle, I would say, look, if at the end of the day we're going to lose Isak, send Nunez to us and then we'll have a bash with him.
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"You've played at Newcastle, they just love their own players up there, especially the forwards, don't they? You know, I can see, you've seen Nunez, he goes in, he misses a chance, he misses another one, but he keeps going.
"He's unshakable in that respect. And you think that's a great trait to have as a striker. It's the ones that pull their neck in and don't get into missing chances. So I think I could see him playing for Newcastle, I really could, if they needed a replacement."
Liverpool.com says: It definitely feels like the right time for Nunez to move on. Staying in the Premier League feels unlikely, but going to the Saudi league might be a bit of a waste. Moving to Italy makes the most sense, but might not be possible now.