Liverpool get dire Darwin Nunez transfer warning from Marcelo Bielsa | OneFootball

The 27-year-old striker left the Reds last summer in a £46m deal to join Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia. Despite getting off to a good start the Uruguay international’s stint in the Middle East has become a nightmare.

Darwin has been on the outside looking in since February - when he was de-registered from Al-Hilal’s domestic squad in favour of

Karim Benzema. Without consistent first-team football for practically all of 2026 it was suggested that he may be left out of Uruguay’s squad for the FIFA World Cup.

Marcelo Bielsa's risky Darwin call

But head coach Marcelo Bielsa has persisted with one of his favourites. Nunez started the opening day draw against Saudi Arabia but was removed at half-time following an ineffective 45 minutes.

He was out of the starting XI completely for the second matchday - an equally frustrating draw for La Celeste against Cabo Verde. Darwin came on for the closing stages - making one decent run - but it is clear there is something missing.

A report in Directvsports is now claiming that Bielsa views Nunez as “physically deteriorated” following his period without football this year.

Bielsa thinks Nunez has "physically deteriorated"

The ex-Leeds boss first noticed the problem back in March for the international fixtures against England and Algeria. Now it’s an issue that’s too big to ignore for el Loco - with Spain looming in a decisive third matchday.

“The Argentine coach does not see him in optimal condition and for this reason he would be dropped from the starting lineup for the next match,” the report reads of Bielsa dropping Nunez for the Cabo Verde game.

“The biggest concern for Bielsa's coaching staff is the lack of match fitness that striker Al-Hilal had before the World Cup.

“The coach saw him as physically deteriorated and lacking match fitness, a fact that has now been confirmed at the World Cup.”

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Darwin needs a fresh start

Darwin will be allowed to leave Al-Hilal this summer for NO transfer fee with an agreement in place to rip up his £400k per week contract.

Liverpool were reported to be considering a move for their former No9 - who impressed with his tireless workrate and cult-hero status on Merseyside.

The opportunity to add a striker who can also play as a left-winger for zero cost would surely be an alluring prospect. But Liverpool decision-makers are getting all the warning they need to stay away from a Darwin deal this summer.

He is not the player he once was - following nearly six months without significant match rhythm. And while he once again may regain his energetic peak it would take too long - and be too big of a risk - for him to be considered a viable target this off-season.

It’s a shame what’s become of Darwin over the last few months but there’s no indication that he is once again ready to enter a club with the dimensions of Liverpool FC.