Darwin Nuñez has reportedly agreed to terminate his contract with Al Hilal, making him a free agent in the summer.
The former Liverpool striker had a £400k per week contract with the Saudi Arabian club.
Nuñez’s Move to Al Hilal
Liverpool agreed a £46M deal with Al Hilal last summer to sell Darwin Nuñez. He had spent three seasons in England. During that time he often impressed with his physical ability but struggled to find consistency in front of goal.
The move hasn’t worked out well for anyone. Liverpool have found themselves short in attack and there’s a solid case the drop in production from superstar Mohamed Salah is linked to the departure of the hard working Nuñez.
Nuñez didn’t find adjusting to the desert easy. In January, he found himself frozen out completely when Al Hilal signed Karim Benzema and chose to leave Nuñez unregistered to make room for their new striker signing.
Al Hilal’s Perspective
Al Hilal agreed to pay a guaranteed £46M to Liverpool for Nuñez. It turned out they didn’t especially want or need him.
They are paying Nuñez upwards of £400k per week—double his reported Liverpool salary—to train with the reserves and sit in the stands on matchday watching the team play.
Potential Future Destinations
Widespread reports indicate that Al Hilal and Nuñez are agreeing to terminate his contract. This would allow him to depart the Saudi club in the summer.
If things go to plan for the player, he will return to major European football. As of yet, there are no solid reports of potential destinations.
A return to England and the Premier League remains unlikely. Most might expect a move to Spain or Italy.
Turkey will also likely end up discussed as an option. With upwards of £20M of annual salary on the table to get out of Saudi, it seems a clear case of a player prioritizing football over money.
It seems a clear case of a player prioritizing football over money.