Darwin Nunez could make a surprising Premier League return this summer, merely a year after departing Liverpool for Al-Hilal. The Uruguayan forward transferred to the Saudi Pro League giants in a £46million deal last August, though his debut campaign with the club has proven anything but smooth.
With nine goals and five assists recorded across 24 outings in all competitions, it would seem on the surface that the 26-year-old has flourished in the Middle East. Nevertheless, following Karim Benzema's arrival earlier this month, Nunez has found his Al-Hilal future thrown into doubt.
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Due to tight foreign player restrictions and Benzema's registration, Nunez is now ineligible to feature in Pro League or Cup fixtures for his present employers. It represents a significant setback for the striker, who would have been hoping to stake his claim for international selection at this summer's World Cup in North America.
According to TEAMtalk, Nunez is now weighing up his options with the club following his harsh exclusion from the squad, with sources suggesting that several European sides have made approaches ahead of the summer transfer window. Intermediaries have held discussions with various clubs in England specifically, with Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United reportedly keen on a potential swoop for Nunez when the window reopens.
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Elsewhere, Atletico Madrid and Juventus are also believed to be long-standing admirers of the striker. A significant obstacle in landing Nunez could prove to be the enormous £400,000-per-week wages he currently reportedly commands at Al-Hilal, despite no longer featuring for the first team in competitive fixtures.
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That said, it is also understood that Nunez would be prepared to take a considerable pay cut for the right club ahead of the 2026/27 campaign. This comes as Newcastle have struggled to find the back of the net consistently this season, despite splashing out on Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa following Alexander Isak's £125m departure to Liverpool.
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Meanwhile, Spurs find themselves in danger of being dragged into a relegation scrap, sitting 16th in the Premier League table and a mere five points above the drop zone following Sunday evening's 4-1 humbling in the North London Derby.
Liverpool, for their part, have not been entirely free from their own striking concerns this season. Whilst Hugo Ekitike has caught the eye in his debut campaign at Anfield, contributing 15 goals and four assists across all competitions so far, Isak's spell at the club has yielded considerably less impressive returns.
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The Swedish forward managed a mere three goals and one assist before sustaining a fractured fibula in December, which necessitated surgery. Consequently, he now faces an extended spell on the treatment table, with his return pencilled in for April at the earliest.
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Whilst Isak's absence has not entirely derailed Liverpool's recent form, it has partly undermined the club's ambitions of securing Champions League football for the 2026/27 campaign. Currently, the Reds sit sixth in the Premier League table with 11 matches still to play, level on 45 points with fourth-placed Chelsea and fifth-placed Manchester United.