Darwin Núñez's Liverpool Future Diminishes as AC Milan Shows Interest

Darwin Núñez’s Anfield story looks destined to stay closed. Not with a bang, not with a dramatic homecoming, but with a quiet shake of the head from Liverpool’s hierarchy as another European giant steps forward.

The Uruguay forward, currently with his country at the FIFA World Cup, has endured a brutal year since leaving Merseyside. Sold to Al-Hilal last summer for an initial £46 million and handed a staggering £400,000-per-week contract, he arrived in Saudi Arabia as a marquee No 9. He now finds himself on the outside looking in.

His last meaningful minutes came in February. For a 27-year-old centre-forward built on power, aggression and constant movement, that kind of layoff is not just inconvenient. It’s corrosive.

From marquee signing to de-listed spare part

Al-Hilal’s decision to bring in Karim Benzema changed everything. The Frenchman’s arrival pushed Núñez out of the domestic squad altogether, de-listed and effectively frozen out. The big-money move that was supposed to cement his status has instead stalled his career.

The impact has not gone unnoticed in Montevideo. Uruguay head coach Marcelo Bielsa is reported to have had concerns about Núñez for some time, with the former Leeds United manager believing the striker has “physically deteriorated” during this long spell without regular football. For a player whose game leans so heavily on intensity, it is a damning assessment.

Al-Hilal, for their part, are now said to be ready to cut their losses. Núñez is likely to be available either on a free transfer or for a heavily reduced fee, with the Saudi club reportedly willing to tear up his lucrative deal to smooth a return to Europe.

On paper, that scenario screams “second chance” at Liverpool. In reality, the club are unconvinced.

Liverpool step back as Milan move in

Reports suggest the outgoing Premier League champions have little appetite to gamble on a reunion. The memories of Núñez as a record signing, a raw but thrilling presence in attack, are not enough to override the doubts over his condition and form.

While Liverpool cool their interest, a new contender is emerging. Rúben Amorim’s AC Milan are now weighing up a move, sensing an opportunity that carries risk but also obvious upside if Núñez can be rebuilt.

“There have already been some contacts with players attending the World Cup, one of whom is Darwin Nunez,” a report from Milan Vibes claims, underlining that the Rossoneri have at least opened a channel.

The obstacle is clear: money. Núñez’s current salary, around €2 million per month, is far beyond Milan’s structure. Any deal will require serious negotiation and a sharp recalibration of expectations from the player’s side.

Two paths on the table

According to the same report, Milan see two possible routes.

• One is a permanent transfer at a fee “significantly lower” than the price Al-Hilal paid Liverpool. That kind of discount would give Milan room to set a more realistic salary in line with their wage cap, particularly if Rafael Leão — the club’s current highest earner — were to leave and free up space on the books.
• The other option is a loan, with Al-Hilal covering a portion of Núñez’s salary. That scenario is described as “highly unlikely”, which underlines the scale of the financial gymnastics required to make this move work.

Still, the interest is not new. Milan tracked Núñez during his Liverpool days and saw in him a profile that could thrive in Serie A. He, in turn, is reported to regret missing out on a move to Italy with Napoli last summer. The idea of finally landing in Serie A, at a club of Milan’s stature, carries an obvious allure.

Now the stakes are different. This is no longer the chase for a rising star but a rescue mission for a striker whose career has drifted off course.

Liverpool appear ready to watch from a distance. Milan, if they can find a way around the numbers, might just be the ones to decide whether Darwin Núñez’s European chapter is revived or quietly fades away.