£400k per week Liverpool cult hero wanted for Premier League return

Liverpool made big changes last summer - with several Premier League title-winning players leaving the club.

We saw the likes of Caoimhin Kelleher, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jarell Quansah and Luis Diaz depart for pastures new - as Richard Hughes made space for £450m worth of new signings.

It’s not been easy to replace those favourites - with the title-holders struggling to replicate their successes from last season.

And one other player sold in the summer who’s been sorely missed by supporters is Darwin Nunez. The 26-year-old joined Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia - for an initial £46m - after a poor goalscoring season under Arne Slot.

The writing had been on the wall for the Uruguayan’s Liverpool career for quite some time in truth and it was no surprise he took the option of a reported £400k per week contract in Riyadh.

But things have quickly turned sour for the South American hitman. Al-Hilal signed Karim Benzema as their new centre-forward in the winter transfer window - and promptly de-listed Nunez from their Saudi Pro League squad.

Nunez is coming back to PL

While still eligible to represent the club in the AFC Champions League Elite - Nunez’s domestic season is already at an end.

According to a report in TEAMtalk the feelers have now been put out over a sensational Premier League return - with the player willing to take a drastic pay cut in order to get a move out of the Middle East.

“Darwin Nunez’s situation is being closely monitored by a number of Premier League clubs, with the former Liverpool star potentially heading back to England this summer and with sources making clear the personal sacrifice the player is prepared to make to help secure his escape from Saudi Arabia,” the report reads.

“Intermediaries have spoken to a number of clubs in England, and we can confirm that some have been alerted to the prospect, should Nunez become available – these include Tottenham and Newcastle, amongst others.

“Atletico Madrid and Juventus are also long-term admirers who, we are told, would be keen on Nunez if the opportunity arose and the finances were within their reach.

“To move back to Europe, Nunez would have to give up a huge chunk of wages, but the situation has taken such a turn that it is believed he would be open to that, likely meaning his Saudi Pro-League adventure will end after just one year come the summer.”

Do Liverpool need Nunez?

Is this a transfer fight Liverpool should get involved in? In one sense Nunez is a known quantity - both to Slot and the Liverpool supporters.

He has a fighting spirit and a strong work rate - characteristics which have always gone down well with the Anfield faithful.

But Nunez only reached double figures once in the Premier League across three seasons - not enough of a return for a signing worth up to £85m.

It’s now too late for a loan deal - which could have helped cover the injury-enforced absence of Alexander Isak. That - arguably - could have been a useful short-term fix.

By summer Liverpool’s transfer priority will have changed again. The centre-forward position was fortified by the signings of Isak and Hugo Ekitike last summer - and given the scale of the investment it would be a surprise to see another big name added at No9.

It might be a bitter sight to see Nunez in the colours of another club - but a reunion is not on the cards anytime soon.

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