A deal between Liverpool and Al-Hilal is ‘100% done’ for Darwin Nunez as the Saudi side wait for a ‘green light’ to complete a medical.
The Reds still want to sign another new striker this summer despite getting a deal for Hugo Ekitike over the line last month in a big deal from Eintracht Frankfurt.
Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak has now become a serious possibility for Liverpool after the Sweden international told the Magpies that he wants to leave for Anfield.
Liverpool had a £110m bid turned down by Newcastle but the Reds will bid again if they see the Magpies have signed an adequate replacement for Isak.
The Reds are attempting to raise money after bringing in six new players already this summer and Nunez looks to be next out of the door after Luis Diaz completed a move to Bayern Munich last month.
Fabrizio Romano revealed earlier this morning that Al-Hilal are getting closer to striking a deal for Nunez with a ‘verbal agreement’ in place with Liverpool.
The transfer expert wrote on X: ‘EXCLUSIVE: Al Hilal are close to getting Darwin Nunez deal done after verbal agreement in place with Liverpool. Club to club agreement is done, while Al Hilal are in talks with Darwin over personal terms. Decision up to Nunez but talks underway, Inzaghi wants him.’
And Romano was back with another update later in the morning, he added: ‘More on Darwin Nunez and Al Hilal exclusive story. The agreement club to club with Liverpool is 100% done.
‘Understand initial fee will be €53m plus add-ons to reach to bring package higher. Talks with Darwin ongoing to get green light on personal terms.’
While another transfer journalist, Ben Jacobs, gave his own update, he continued on X: ‘Darwin Nunez close to an agreement with Al-Hilal on terms, as @FabrizioRomano called. Club-to-club talks expected to move swiftly if Nunez informs Liverpool he wants the move.
‘Suggestions a €65m fee is already agreed are premature. Certainly a feeling a deal can be struck quickly if player buy in comes, but Liverpool are still waiting for a formal approach.’
Before later adding: ‘Al-Hilal hope Nunez can undergo a medical in Germany pending his green light to join.’
Former MLS star and Venezuela international Alejandro Moreno insisted earlier this year that Nunez has become “useless” to Liverpool.
Moreno told ESPN FC in March: “What has happened with Darwin Nunez is that he has allowed the fact that he has not been scoring goals affect the rest of his game.
“He can still give you the hold-up play, he can still give you runs in behind, he can still give you all of that, and he is not.
“He is now frozen by the fact that there is no confidence and so you start missing a player like say for example Roberto Firmino, who was not scoring a bunch of goals for Liverpool but was doing all sorts of other different things, in his player profile to link up the attack of Liverpool.
“Darwin Nunez hasn’t been capable of doing that.
“He hasn’t been capable of scoring goals with consistency and hence he becomes a player who is useless to Liverpool rather than useful.”