Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez has joined Saudi Pro League club Al Hilal in a deal worth up to £56.6m (€65m).
Al Hilal will pay the Premier League champions a fixed fee of £46.2m (€53m) plus add-ons.
Nunez, 26, departs Anfield having scored 40 goals in 143 appearances since joining in 2022 from Benfica in a deal which initially cost the Reds £64m.
Despite scoring 18 goals in Jurgen Klopp’s final season, he managed only seven last term under Arne Slot, although did net two vital stoppage-time goals to give Liverpool a 2-0 win at Brentford in January.
Nunez came close to leaving earlier this year, having pushed for the club to act upon serious and significant interest – also from the Saudi league – during that window.
Liverpool held firm and rejected that approach, prioritising the campaign for a historic 20th league title. This summer, Nunez and his representatives reiterated their desire for a transfer.
AC Milan were interested and made an approach, but were unlikely to ever match Al Hilal’s figures. A bid from Napoli was rejected earlier in the window not only because the valuation fell short, but also due to proposed payment terms that would have deferred any funds until summer 2026, to be paid over five years.
Liverpool to replace Nunez with Isak?
Alexander Isak has been subject of bids from Liverpool – but is he worth the big-money move?
Liverpool are now expected to explore the market for an attacking option that can come into the squad as a starter.
The Premier League champions had a £110m bid plus add-ons rejected by Newcastle for striker Alexander Isak and remain huge admirers of the Sweden international, who is valued at £150m.
Sky Sports News has been reporting that Newcastle are braced for Liverpool to go back in for Isak, who has been instructed to stay away from the Newcastle first team and will miss their Premier League opener against Aston Villa, confirmed head coach Eddie Howe.
Newcastle are still looking for a signing to replace Callum Wilson, let alone Isak, and lost out to Manchester United in the race for Benjamin Sesko.
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Eddie Howe is keen for Isak to stay at Newcastle – but insists he only wants players who want to be at the club
It is understood that Liverpool will only pursue a target if they are viewed to be realistically attainable and available for what they deem to be a fair price.
The club are also keen to leave a pathway for 16-year-old winger Rio Ngumoha into the first-team squad after his impressive performances in pre-season.
Carra: I want Liverpool to sign Isak – but £150m is Mbappe money!
Jamie Carragher says he wants Liverpool to sign Isak, but has questioned whether the club should be spending such big money.
Earlier in August, Liverpool made an initial bid of £110m plus add-ons, Sky Sports News reported. However, the total offer did not reach £120m, with the Magpies valuing the striker at £150m.
Liverpool have also signed Hugo Ekitike this summer, who can also play as a No 9, and Carragher says splashing out on the forward to have him potentially be a back-up “doesn’t sit right” with him.
Speaking on The Overlap, he said: “It will be an amazing signing. But from a Liverpool fan point of view, I don’t want the club to spend £150m on Isak.
“I could probably imagine that he was Liverpool’s No 1 target but there’s something about Liverpool buying a striker [Ekitike] for £80m and he’s a back-up. There’s something about it that doesn’t sit right to me.
“I look at Isak, he’s obviously thrown his toys out of the pram once Arsenal and Liverpool signed a striker. From him and his agent’s point of view, did they not tell Newcastle months ago that they wanted to move on? It just seems a little bit messy.
“When I think of Liverpool, it doesn’t look really planned. I don’t think the plan is to sign a striker for £80m and sign one for £120m.
“I feel for Ekitike a little bit. Because he’s been brought in and then all of a sudden this Isak thing has come.
“I do want Liverpool to sign Isak, but £150m for me feels like an Mbappe. You should be getting Mbappe for £150m.”
Sky Sports to show 215 live PL games from this season
From this season, Sky Sports’ Premier League coverage will increase from 128 matches to at least 215 games exclusively live.
And 80 per cent of all televised Premier League games this season will be on Sky Sports.
