Liverpool have agreed a deal worth £46.3 million (€53 million) to sell striker Darwin Núñez to Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal. The Uruguay international is now expected to travel to undergo a medical and finalize the move.
The transfer brings an end to an inconsistent three-year spell at Anfield for Núñez, who joined from Benfica in 2022 for an initial fee of £64 million. Despite Liverpool’s Premier League title-winning campaign last season, the 26-year-old started just eight league matches and struggled to secure a permanent place in the first team.
The sale is expected to provide a significant financial boost to Liverpool’s ongoing pursuit of Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak. The Reds reportedly had a £110 million offer for the Sweden international rejected last week, with Newcastle valuing their star forward at closer to £150 million.
Núñez’s departure continues a summer of major squad restructuring at Anfield, which has already seen the club spend over £250 million on Germany playmaker Florian Wirtz and French forward Hugo Ekitike, while sanctioning the sale of winger Luis Díaz to Bayern Munich for £65.5 million.
While capable of producing memorable moments, Núñez’s time at Liverpool was often defined by a lack of clinical finishing. He scored 40 goals in 143 total appearances, but his Premier League tally of 25 goals was significantly below his expected goals (xG) total, a metric that highlighted his inconsistency in front of goal.
At Al-Hilal, coached by former Inter Milan manager Simone Inzaghi, Núñez will join a squad featuring a number of high-profile former European stars, including Rúben Neves, João Cancelo, Kalidou Koulibaly, and Aleksandar Mitrović.
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