Darwin Nunez on verge of Liverpool exit as fee agreed with Al Hilal
By Carl Markham, PA
Darwin Nunez’s frustrating spell at Liverpool looks to be coming to an end with the striker set for a move to Al Hilal.
The Saudi Pro League club have had a long-held interest in the Uruguay international, who was a target for Al Nassr in January with a £60m bid rejected as the Reds did not want to sell in the middle of a Premier League-winning season.
The PA news agency understands Nunez’s move is likely to bring in an initial £46million, with more in add-ons once the final details have been ironed out.
Liverpool had allowed the 26-year-old’s representatives to speak to Al Hilal – AC Milan had made an enquiry but were not able to compete with what the Saudis were offering – in an attempt to reach an agreement before talks were opened between the clubs.
There is still some negotiating to do between Al Hilal and Liverpool but Nunez’s three-year stay at Anfield, in which he scored 40 goals in 143 appearances but became increasingly inconsistent, appears over.
His departure will take income from sales this summer to almost £200m, with more likely to follow with £40m-plus-rated midfielder Harvey Elliott talking to RB Leipzig over a move.
It also opens up a space on the forward line, which has already been strengthened with the arrival of Hugo Ekitike as part of a near-£300m spend, and the number nine shirt.
Liverpool retain an interest in Newcastle’s Alexander Isak after having a £110m bid rejected last week.
The Sweden international has been told to train away from the main squad having asked to leave, absented himself from their pre-season tour to the Far East last month and spent a week working on his fitness at former club Real Sociedad.
Meanwhile, Elliott is being wooed by former manager Jurgen Klopp in his role as Red Bull’s head of global soccer, according to German newspaper Bild.
The 22-year-old, player of the tournament as England won the European Under-21 Championship this summer, made 28 appearances last season but only three were starts in the Premier League or Champions League.
His opportunities are likely to be even more limited heading into the new campaign and, after featuring in Monday’s 4-1 win over Athletic Bilbao, he was last to leave the pitch, waving and blowing kisses to all four sides of the ground.
Leipzig want Elliott as a replacement for Xavi Simons, who looks set to leave for Chelsea, and the Bundesliga club are currently trying to sell a move to Germany to the player.
