Darwin Nunez agrees to leave Al-Hilal after losing squad place
Uruguay striker Darwin Nunez has reached an agreement to leave Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal at the end of the season, less than a year after his £46m departure from Liverpool.
The 26-year-old departed Anfield last August following a largely frustrating spell on Merseyside.
Despite a promising start in the Middle East, the former Benfica forward has not played competitive club football since February.
Saudi squad limit forces exit
His omission from the team was triggered by the January arrival of French striker Karim Benzema.
Saudi Pro League regulations restrict teams to registering a maximum of eight foreign players born before 2003 within their 25-man squads.
As a result, the South American was removed from the active roster to accommodate the new signing.
He has reportedly remained professional throughout the ordeal, continuing to train daily despite his lack of involvement.
Search for consistent minutes
A desire for regular first-team football is the primary driving force behind this impending summer departure.
The lack of match action recently cost the forward his starting spot in Uruguay’s international friendlies during the March break.
During his brief active stint in the Saudi Pro League, he managed a respectable return of six goals and four assists in 16 appearances.
Both Chelsea and Juventus are now reportedly monitoring the situation ahead of the upcoming transfer window.
Struggles to replicate early promise
The impending move marks another turbulent chapter in a career that has struggled to match the heights of a 34-goal season in Portugal.
That prolific form convinced Liverpool to commit up to £85m for his services in the summer of 2022.
However, an inconsistent tenure in England yielded 40 goals across 143 appearances, alongside regular questions over his work rate.
Any potential return to European football will likely require a significant reduction from his current reported wages of £400,000 per week.