Darwin Nunez’s message to Al-Hilal owner after Saudi exile and transfer window blow

View 2 Images

Darwin Nunez has experienced somewhat of a nightmare since leaving Liverpool to sign for Al-Hilal in the Saudi Pro League . The former Reds forward was sold for £46million last summer after winning the Premier League title but ultimately falling short of expectations at Anfield since his high-profile transfer in 2022.

The 26-year-old is set to return to England on Friday, where he's expected to take on the Three Lions at Wembley Stadium for Uruguay. Nunez was selected by Marcelo Bielsa for the upcoming friendlies against England and Algeria despite his club career coming to grinding halt.

Up until February this year, he'd only managed to find the back of the net six times in 17 appearances in the Saudi top division. His underwhelming form prompted Al-Hilal to delve into the transfer market and sign another big-name striker - Real Madrid icon and Ballon d'Or winner Karim Benzema - from Al-Ittihad in a significant transfer window twist.

FOLLOW OUR LIVERPOOL FB PAGE! Latest Reds news and more on our dedicated Facebook page

Benzema not only replaced Nunez in the starting XI, but the Uruguayan was also axed from Al-Hilal's domestic squad list entirely last month. Saudi clubs are restricted to just eight foreign players born before 2003 in their domestic 25-man roster.

Simone Inzaghi deemed Benzema more crucial to his plans than Nunez. The Al-Hilal manager justified his decision by saying: "The decision was difficult but that's the job of a coach. He makes many decisions every day, even in every training session. Nunez and Pablo Mari are good players. I want them in all competitions but we know the restrictions on registering foreign players."

Rumours circulated following Benzema's arrival in early February that Darwin was considering leaving the club after just six months. He was linked with Fenerbahce and Flamengo but no transfer came to fruition, leading to expectations he will depart in the summer.

Despite being ineligible for Saudi Pro League matches, Nunez remains fully registered in the Asian Champions League . His most recent appearance in the competition was on February 16, where he played the entire 90 minutes against Al-Wahda.

Nunez scored both goals in a 2-1 victory and sent a message to the owners with an interesting celebration. The former Reds star turned around and, while walking backwards, stared towards the box where Al-Hilal's owner sits, maintaining his gaze for several seconds with a sly grin before looking away and muttering something under his breath.

View 2 Images

He hasn't played a competitive match for the club in over a month due to Al-Hilal's scheduled AFC Champions League last-16 games against Al-Sadd being postponed, as a result of the ongoing regional conflict.

Nunez earns £20m annually at Al Hilal, equivalent to nearly £400,000 per week in wages. He has managed nine goals and five assists in 24 appearances across all competitions this campaign.