Juventus Eye Nunez as Champions League Race Heats Up
Juventus have taken the first, cautious step towards a move for Nunez, testing the water with Al-Hilal as they sketch out their summer plans.
According to Sky Sport, the Turin club have lodged a preliminary inquiry for the 26-year-old forward, asking for clarity on his availability and the financial scale of any deal. No bid yet, no negotiation blitz. Just information gathering, while the calculators work overtime in the background.
Because this one comes with a price – and a condition.
A costly talent in limbo
Nunez left Liverpool for Al-Hilal only last summer in a €53 million move, signing a contract that runs until June 2028. On paper, that should have locked him into the Saudi project for the long haul. On the pitch, his first months suggested the same.
He played regularly through the first half of the season: 16 league matches, six goals. Across all competitions, 24 appearances, nine goals, five assists. Productive, involved, seemingly settled.
Then the floor moved.
During the winter break, coach Inzaghi made the call that changed everything, leaving Nunez out of Al-Hilal’s registered list of eight foreign players. A pure technical decision, but a brutal one for the forward. Overnight, he became ineligible for domestic league action for the rest of the year, frozen out of the competition that defines a player’s rhythm and relevance.
His season did not end, but it narrowed.
Continental stage as a shop window
While barred from league duty, the former Benfica striker remains available for continental fixtures. In the AFC Champions League Elite, he has at least kept a foothold in the spotlight: six appearances, three goals, one assist.
His next test is already circled on the calendar. On April 13, Al-Hilal face Al-Sadd in the round of 16, a tie that could double as an audition. Every touch, every finish, every run now carries a different weight. For Al-Hilal, it is about progress in Asia. For Nunez, it may be about proving he still has the edge to lead a European attack.
If this is to be his swan song in Saudi Arabia, it will be played out under the gaze of scouts and sporting directors who know exactly what he once offered at Benfica and Liverpool – and are asking whether that version is ready to resurface.
Juventus watch the table – and the balance sheet
Back in Italy, Juventus are watching just as closely, but their interest is chained to their own league table.
The Bianconeri sit fifth in Serie A on 57 points, one behind Como in a tight, nervy fight for the top four with seven matches left. That gap is small on paper, huge in financial terms. Champions League qualification would open the door to a move of this magnitude. Missing out could slam it shut.
So the club are running two races at once. On the pitch, a scramble to claw their way into the Champions League places. Off it, a meticulous evaluation of costs, structure, and timing around Nunez. His long contract, his recent exclusion in Saudi Arabia, his output in Asia – all of it feeds into a simple question in Turin: is this the right striker at the right moment?
For now, Juventus have only knocked on the door. How loudly they return may depend on where they finish when the final whistle blows on their Serie A season.
