Darwin Nunez 'to join' Al Diriyah on loan, no buy option | OneFootball

Al-Hilal striker Darwin Nunez is closing in on a loan switch to newly promoted Al-Diriyah after being frozen out of the first-team squad.

Fabrizio Romano reports there is a verbal agreement between the clubs on a loan, with Nunez’s salary to be covered in full and no option to buy. He adds the deal is subject to signatures, a medical is being arranged, and the loan is set to run until June 2027.

Nunez had been strongly linked with Trabzonspor, a move pitched as a reunion with former Liverpool strike partner Mohamed Salah in the Super Lig. Talks collapsed amid an unresolved dispute with Al-Hilal over significant outstanding wages and bonuses the striker refused to forfeit via a unilateral contract termination.

The 27-year-old rose from Penarol to Almeria, then Benfica for €24m, before an €80m-plus switch to Liverpool in 2022. His Middle East spell unravelled due to strict foreign player quotas and Karim Benzema’s arrival, prompting head coach Simone Inzaghi to omit him from Al-Hilal’s domestic league roster.

With his Al-Hilal contract running until June 2028, a domestic loan offers his best route to consistent football and protection of his status. Al-Diriyah provides a platform to rebuild confidence and sharpen his finishing while he becomes the focal point for the top-flight newcomers.

Any hopes of a swift European return must wait, with this season’s output likely to shape his position when Riyadh reassesses matters next summer.

Source: Goal.com

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”