Uruguayan journalist Martin Charkero, citing colleague Juan Pablo Romero, has reported that Darwin Núñez could return to Liverpool this summer. Charkero said the forward would sign a contract with the English club, but an announcement was not expected in the coming days because Núñez did not want transfer speculation to distract him from Uruguay duty.
The reported move would mark a striking turn in Núñez’s career, though his recent transfer history places him in Saudi Arabia. He left Liverpool for Al-Hilal in the summer of 2025, after the club’s Premier League title-winning season. Liverpool.com reported the fee at about $59 million, excluding bonuses. The same outlet said Núñez struggled to make a impressive impact during his first six months at Al-Hilal.
In February 2026, following Karim Benzema’s arrival, Núñez was left out of Al-Hilal’s domestic league squad because of the club’s foreign-player registration limit. He remained eligible for the AFC Champions League Elite. In August 2026, he joined newly promoted Saudi club Al-Diriyah on loan for the 2026-27 season, putting his latest reported spell outside England.
Former Uruguay international and manager Gus Poyet told GOAL that Núñez had chosen a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia: “He had the chance because he made a decision at Liverpool to go there for a crazy contract.” Poyet said family circumstances could eventually influence the striker’s choices, but added: “Otherwise, he doesn’t seem close to leaving.”
Núñez has since featured for Al-Diriyah. ESPN reported that he played the full match against Al-Taawoun and missed a late penalty in a draw. El Observador described him as influential in a subsequent 1-0 win over Al-Riyadh. Those appearances are the latest reported chapter in his career as speculation about a Liverpool return circulates.
Transfer talk often intensifies around major international tournaments, when attention on players grows and clubs assess their options. For now, Charkero’s claim contrasts with the reported sequence of Núñez’s moves: from Liverpool to Al-Hilal in 2025, then on loan to Al-Diriyah in 2026.
