The bookmakers expect Darwin Nunez to make a summer move to Saudi Arabia, with Al Hilal making a move in their pursuit of the Liverpool striker.
The Uruguayan is available for transfer as the Reds significantly revamp their forward line after winning the Premier League title.
Hugo Ekitike has arrived from Eintracht Frankfurt and Florian Wirtz has been brought in from Bayer Leverkusen, while Liverpool continue to be linked with the likes of Newcastle’s Alexander Isak and Real Madrid’s Rodrygo.
Luis Diaz has left for Bayern Munich and of course the club lost Diogo Jota in tragic circumstances due to his shocking death last month.
Nunez has been linked with a move away from Anfield all summer after a disappointing season on a personal level, despite the team’s success under Arne Slot.
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The 26-year-old scored just five Premier League goals in 30 appearances, netting seven times in 47 outings across all competitions.
The Reds are happy to let him go, but want a significant return on the initial £64m they paid Benfica for him in 2022.
Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal have made a move, with transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reporting that they have ‘presented their project and plan to Darwin Nunez in recent days.’
A deal is far from done, with negotiations still to take place between the clubs and the player.
While a number of players have been tempted to the Saudi Pro League, plenty more have also decided they would prefer to continue their career in Europe, turning down the vast riches on offer in Saudi Arabia.
Darwin Nunez club after summer transfer window odds
4/5 Any Saudi Arabian team
3/1 AC Milan
4/1 Liverpool
9/1 Juventus
10/1 Newcastle
Odds courtesy of bet365
Nunez may well have an option to make a big move within Europe, with AC Milan also interested in signing him this summer.
Italian transfer expert Gianluca Di Marzio reports that the Uruguayan is AC Milan’s first choice as they look for a new striker this summer and they have held talks with him already.
The Serie A side will not be able to compete with Al Hilal on a transfer fee or wages, but will hope to appeal to Nunez by offering a higher level of competition.
There is yet to be a bid from any side, with Napoli and Juventus also linked with a move for him this summer but their interest seemingly fading.
It was a difficult season for the striker under Slot, with the manager criticising his work rate in February after back-to-back performances that disappointed the Dutchman.
‘I helped him by saying you can miss a chance,’ Slot told a press conference in February after Nunez made substitute appearances against Wolves and Aston Villa, missing a glaring opportunity in the latter.
‘I wasn’t only hard on him. But for the second time in a row I wasn’t happy with his work effort, against Wolves and against Villa.
‘I can’t accept if a player doesn’t give everything. That is clear. I can accept it once, but twice was a bit too much. That’s why I addressed it.
‘If you miss a chance, you need to be fighting for the team. I’m not saying he didn’t do that at all, but it wasn’t the usual Darwin, the one that is loved by the fans. That is mainly because he always works so hard.’
