Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez is reportedly on the verge of joining Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal in a move that could pave the way for the Premier League champions to launch a record-breaking £150 million bid for Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak.
Nunez, signed from Benfica in 2022 for an initial £65 million, has struggled to justify his hefty price tag, scoring 40 goals in 143 appearances. The Uruguayan has since slipped down the pecking order at Anfield under both Jürgen Klopp and his successor Arne Slot.
According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Al Hilal will pay an initial €53 million for the 26-year-old forward. Nunez’s game time was expected to be limited this season, following Liverpool’s summer spree, which brought in Hugo Ekitike, Florian Wirtz, and full-backs Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, part of a total €300 million investment.
The impending sale of Núñez would push Liverpool’s outgoing transfer revenue this window to nearly €200 million, following the exits of Luis Díaz, Jarell Quansah, Caoimhin Kelleher, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Tyler Morton. Harvey Elliott is also drawing interest from RB Leipzig, with Liverpool valuing the midfielder at €45 million.
With Nunez set to depart, the Reds are reportedly preparing to go all in for Alexander Isak, though Newcastle are holding out for a staggering £150 million fee, a figure that would shatter the British transfer record.
Nunez is poised to join a star-studded Al Hilal side managed by Simone Inzaghi and featuring the likes of Rúben Neves, João Cancelo, Kalidou Koulibaly, and Aleksandar Mitrović. The Saudi giants made headlines last season by eliminating Manchester City en route to the Club World Cup quarter-finals.
