It would appear as though Liverpool’s major opportunity to sell Darwin Nunez will come from the Saudi Pro League although there is interest from AC Milan.
On Saturday, Gianluca Di Marzio reported that AC Milan have made Nunez their priority striker target for this summer but until they Serie A club makes a concrete move on their interest, Liverpool really only have Al Hilal as a lead.
Nunez has been offered very broadly across Europe with no takers. Napoli were very seriously interested but after Liverpool refused to cave in to pressure from owner Aurelio De Laurentiis, Napoli pulled out.
They were unwilling to pay the £60m+ Liverpool are reportedly demanding but Al Hilal remain in contact with Nunez with talks set to resume next week.
Now, it would appear as though Nunez is ready to accept that he needs to leave Europe and may move to the Saudi Pro League.
Darwin Nunez “agrees to a prospective move to Saudi Arabia” after accepting he needs to leave Europe
While there is no mention of which club will sign him, journalist Graeme Bailey today reports that Nunez is aware of the decreasing likelihood of him staying in Europe which has reportedly “seen him agree to a prospective move to Saudi Arabia.”
Reporting for TBR Football, Bailey explains: “Liverpool have a lot going on, and sales are part of their summer as well as the major incomings. Diaz is done but Nunez was always seen as the big sale.
“Liverpool respect Nunez hugely, they think he is a top talent but it has not worked out for him and he accepts that too. He has seen Wirtz and Ekitike come in and knows they want Isak – he knows there is little future for him.
“Nunez knows he is highly unlikely to get his move in Europe and that has seen him agree to a prospective move to Saudi Arabia.”
If Liverpool are truly demanding £60m or more, they may have priced Nunez out of staying in Europe.
Of course, the club is entitled to demand whatever they like for their players but it’s been painstakinly clear for quite some time now that there isn’t a club that is willing to spend so much on a player that failed so publicly at Liverpool.
Nunez is very talented, however. Moving to Liverpool simply came to early in his career but at 26, he still has plenty of high level playing days left.