Liverpool and Al-Hilal have reached an agreement in principle over the sale of Uruguayan striker Darwin Nunez, according to a report.
The former Benfica man has been edging closer to a move to the Saudi Pro League over the past few days, despite excelling in pre-season for the Premier League champions.
Nunez was on target in the Reds' recent 4-1 victory over Athletic Bilbao at Anfield, while he also bagged a hat-trick against Stoke City and found the back of the net against Preston North End last month.
However, with the Reds spending big on Hugo Ekitike and still rumoured to be interested in a deal for Newcastle United's Alexander Isak, Nunez is now surplus to requirements at Anfield.
According to The Athletic, an agreement in principle has now been reached between Liverpool and Al-Hilal over the transfer of the 26-year-old, and there is a verbal accord in place between the two sides.
Liverpool Nunez fee revealed as Al-Hilal deal 'agreed in principle'
Uruguay's Darwin Nunez in action on November 19, 2024
The report states that Liverpool will receive €53m (£46.2m) plus add-ons for the South American, a significant £27.9m loss on the €85m (£74.1m) they paid Benfica in 2022, which could have risen to £85m through add-ons.
Nunez has supposedly 'indicated a willingness' to join the Saudi Pro League side, where he will be linking up with the likes of Theo Hernandez, Ruben Neves, Malcom, Aleksandar Mitrovic, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Kalidou Koulibaly.
There are still a few hurdles to clear before the deal can be finalised, but nothing should jeopardise a deal at this stage, and Nunez is primed to join Al-Hilal during their summer training camp in Germany.
Fellow Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Nassr reportedly had a £60m offer rejected in January, as Liverpool were not willing to sell Nunez without a replacement midway through the season, even if it meant accepting a lower fee in the summer.
A move to Serie A was also strongly mooted for the ex-Benfica man, who was heavily linked with both AC Milan and Napoli, but the Italian giants seemingly withdrew their interest due to the costs involved.
Where did it go wrong for Nunez at Liverpool?
Darwin Nunez of Liverpool on January 31, 2025
Flash back to Nunez's earliest days as a Liverpool player, where the Uruguay international was sent off on his Anfield debut for headbutting Crystal Palace's Joachim Andersen; talk about making a bad first impression.
Owing to both that misdemeanour and his own struggles to adapt to the Premier League, Nunez's transition to life in England did not go smoothly, but his potential shone through in 2023-24.
Nunez had a direct hand in 33 goals in 54 appearances the season before last - hitting double figures in both goals and assists in the Premier League - but his catalogue of misses inevitably grabbed more headlines.
With Luis Diaz proving his worth in a centre-forward role last season, Nunez failed to get into Arne Slot's good books, and he seldom managed to impact games when brought off the bench; Brentford aside.
Nunez could prove devastatingly effective on his day, but consistency over chaos is required to become a Liverpool stalwart, and the time is nigh for both parties to go their separate ways.
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