darwin nunez is finally on his way out of liverpool and the deal is as big as it is dramatic the reds have agreed to sell the uruguayan striker to saudi pro league giants al hilal in a move worth up to £56.6m bringing to an end a turbulent three-year spell at anfield full of goals chaos missed chances and moments of brilliance this transfer has been coming for weeks but now it’s finally on the verge of completion and liverpool are bracing for life without the man who once cost them over £64m from benfica
according to reports the fixed part of the deal will see al hilal pay liverpool £46.2m with performance-related add-ons possibly pushing the total package to £56.6m but despite the clubs agreeing the fee liverpool are still waiting for official confirmation that nunez himself has accepted the move and given the final green light sky in italy are already reporting that al hilal are ready to meet his wage demands which was a big factor in pushing the move forward ac milan were also interested in signing him but they simply could not compete financially with what saudi arabia are offering
nunez has scored 40 goals in 143 games since joining liverpool in 2022 some of those goals were unforgettable some were clumsy but one thing that was never lacking was energy effort and unpredictability he had a rollercoaster of a career at liverpool but now it looks like his chapter in england is closing and he’s heading to the middle east to begin something entirely different under klopp in his second season nunez managed 18 goals including big ones in the champions league and premier league but his numbers dropped under new boss arne slot scoring just seven times last season although he did produce a clutch performance against brentford in january with two late goals that won the match
for many liverpool fans nunez was a player who caused a mix of frustration and excitement he missed big chances he scored stunning ones too he fought defenders he ran the channels he never stopped moving and he always played with his heart on his sleeve some fans were quick to turn on him especially when he struggled in front of goal but others always appreciated the chaos he brought to the pitch the defenders never had it easy against him even when he wasn’t scoring
south american football expert tim vickery gave his take on the situation and made it clear that he believes nunez still has more to offer he said he’d be very sorry to see him leave and described nunez as uruguay’s cutting edge always putting himself about always making runs into the right spaces and always trying to make things happen he admitted that this move to saudi might help nunez stay fresher for the world cup but also warned that the premier league would lose something special if he goes
on the other side of the story there’s the burning question of how liverpool replace him and once again the name of alexander isak comes to the surface isak has been a top target for the reds all summer and the club made a huge opening bid worth £110m earlier this month but it wasn’t enough to tempt newcastle who are holding out for £150m the saga has since taken a messy turn with isak and his camp reportedly unhappy behind the scenes amid links to both arsenal and liverpool
former liverpool legend jamie carragher spoke on the overlap and gave his thoughts on whether liverpool should go all-in for isak he admitted that while the newcastle striker would be an amazing signing he’s not sure spending £150m on one player is the right move for the club especially when they’ve already signed hugo ekitike another striker who cost around £80m and could end up sitting on the bench carragher questioned whether liverpool should be making that kind of investment in someone who may not even be guaranteed to start every week
it’s a tricky situation for the reds do they go big again and try to force through the isak deal or do they place their faith in ekitike who has a lot of potential but remains unproven in the premier league either way the sale of nunez creates a big hole in the squad one that needs to be filled quickly as the season is just days away from kicking off liverpool can’t afford to go into a new campaign with a gap in their attacking lineup especially with the high expectations that come with being one of the most ambitious clubs in europe this summer
nunez’s departure is also part of a bigger picture at liverpool this summer has been one of massive change and bold decisions the club have already let go of trent alexander arnold luis diaz caoimhin kelleher tyler morton and now possibly nunez in their place new faces have arrived like jeremie frimpong milos kerkez florian wirtz and of course ekitike it’s a fresh start under arne slot and sporting director richard hughes and they are wasting no time in reshaping the squad
there are also still talks about other possible additions including bradley barcola from psg and rodrygo from real madrid both players would add more firepower to the attack and could possibly soften the blow of nunez’s exit but the big question still hangs in the air is isak the player to replace him or will liverpool pull another surprise out of nowhere
the financial side of the nunez deal also tells its own story the reds bought him for £64m with significant add-ons which means the final price could have been even higher but now they’re letting him go for less than that meaning a clear eight-figure loss for the club however it’s not always about the money sometimes a move simply doesn’t work out the way you hoped and liverpool may now feel that cutting their losses and moving on is the best option
in saudi arabia nunez will be joining a growing list of high-profile names who have made the switch to the middle east in the last two years he’ll be playing in a league that is rapidly growing in quality attention and money and for him it could be a fresh start away from the intense spotlight of the premier league he’ll be earning more he’ll be under less pressure and he may even have a better chance to shine on the international stage with uruguay as he prepares for the world cup
but for liverpool fans the feelings will be mixed some will be relieved to see the end of the chaos others will feel that they never truly saw the best of him and many will wonder what could have been if things had clicked if his finishing had improved if he had settled faster into english football but that’s all in the past now what matters is the future and the next name to wear the number nine shirt at anfield
the premier league is losing one of its most unpredictable players a striker who could thrill and frustrate in equal measure a player who gave everything on the pitch even when things didn’t go his way darwin nunez may never have lived up to the huge expectations that followed him from benfica but he left his mark and he gave fans memories they won’t forget from wild goals to red cards from last-minute winners to missed sitters it was always box office with darwin
as the saudi pro league grows stronger and liverpool look to evolve under arne slot the end of the darwin nunez chapter is more than just a transfer it’s the closing of a chaotic beautiful unpredictable story now it’s time for a new one to begin and liverpool will hope that whoever comes in next brings both the goals and the calm that nunez never quite delivered but always promised the reds move on nunez moves on and the football world waits to see what comes next for both
