Darwin Núñez set for Europe return, ex-Benfica joins surprise club | OneFootball

Darwin Núñez could return to European football as early as this summer transfer window. According to the international press, Besiktas are in talks to secure the loan signing of the Uruguayan forward, who has lost his place at Al Hilal and is looking to relaunch his career.

The former Benfica goalscorer left Liverpool last summer to join the Saudi club in a deal worth 55 million euros. Playing for Al Hilal, the Uruguay international scored nine goals in 24 matches, but ended up seeing his role reduced after Karim Benzema arrived in February.

With the signing of the French striker, Darwin was no longer part of the team’s plans for the Saudi league, a situation that paved the way for a possible departure. Besiktas have now emerged as the main candidate to secure the striker’s services through a loan move for the 2026/27 season.

Before his spell in the Middle East, Darwin Núñez stood out while playing for Benfica, the club he represented between 2020 and 2022. Wearing the Eagles shirt, the Uruguay international produced two seasons of a very high level, scoring 48 goals in all competitions and establishing himself as one of Europe’s most sought-after forwards, a performance that earned him a move to Liverpool.

Last season, the centre-forward played 16 league matches, 14 of them as a starter, averaging 78 minutes per game. During that period, he scored six goals despite accumulating an expected goals (xG) value of 11.48, numbers that highlight some lack of efficiency in front of goal, with one goal every 209 minutes played.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.