Darwin Nunez is attracting strong interest from two Saudi Pro League clubs, but Liverpool aren’t willing to sell him in January.
As the January transfer window comes to a close, Nunez is still being linked with a move away, this time to Cristiano Ronaldo and Sadio Mane‘s team, Al Nassr.
The Athletic‘s David Ornstein reported that Nunez “was another target for Al Nassr but the Merseyside club have no intention of selling him at this stage in the window.”
The reliable reporter added: “There is expected to be a significant market for Nunez in the summer if Liverpool choose to sell the 25-year-old, but he is viewed as an important part of Arne Slot’s squad as they compete for major honours in the second half of this season.”
Al Nassr have been in the market for a striker this January and have an agreement in place to sign Bayer Leverkusen’s Victor Boniface, though this move could be put aside with the club now exploring a deal for Aston Villa‘s Jhon Duran.
Nunez has also been the subject of reported interest from Al-Hilal, another of the four clubs owned by the country’s Public Investment Fund (PIF).
Last week, the Telegraph‘s Mike McGrath reported that they were willing to pay Nunez “around £29 million per year” in wages.
That equates to an eye-watering £558,000 a week that isn’t taxed. At the moment, he is paid about £120,000 per week.
As Ornstein says, interest in Nunez should still be “significant” in the summer and it could represent a good time for the Uruguayan to part ways with the Reds, hopefully having signed off with silverware at Anfield.
With Ronaldo’s time seemingly coming to an end at Al Nassr, the club are in need of new faces to attract attention. Nunez’s contract expires in 2028.
Mo Salah is another whom the PIF are keen to get on board. However, the 32-year-old has shown no indication that he wants to leave Liverpool for Saudi Arabia.
The Egyptian gave an update to Sky Sports on his contract talks in early January, saying: “There is nothing, no progress there, we’re far away from any progress. We just need to wait and see.”
