40 goals in 143 appearances
Darwin Núñez has finalized his departure from Liverpool, joining Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal for an initial fee of €53 million, signing a three-year contract. The Uruguayan striker showcased impressive form during pre-season, netting five goals in four matches, though his overall performances have been inconsistent since joining Liverpool for €85 million from Benfica in 2022. Over the course of 143 games, he scored 40 goals and provided 26 assists for the Reds. With this transfer, Núñez has played his final match for Liverpool. Despite some ups and downs in his performances, he remains a beloved figure among fans and teammates at Anfield, and Liverpool has successfully recouped a significant fee for the international forward.
Darwin Núñez becomes one of Liverpool’s top ten biggest sales
Instead of becoming complacent after their Premier League success, Liverpool has strengthened their squad with several major signings this summer. New arrivals including Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, Florian Wirtz, and Hugo Ekitiké have cost the club a total of €308 million. As the leading spenders this transfer window, Liverpool has also recovered €196 million from player sales. With Núñez’s transfer, he now ranks as Liverpool’s sixth biggest sale in the club’s history.
Furthermore, if Núñez meets certain easily achievable add-ons, his total sale price could reach €65 million, promoting him to the fourth spot in Liverpool’s top sales. Currently, fifth place is held by Fernando Torres’ transfer to Chelsea for €58.5 million in 2010, followed by Raheem Sterling’s €63.7 million transfer to Manchester City in 2015. The final fee for Núñez is expected to surpass both of these amounts. Notably, this summer has seen three of Liverpool’s top ten sales occur, with Luis Díaz’s €75 million transfer to Bayern Munich and Jarrell Quansah’s €35 million move to Bayer Leverkusen also in the mix. Although Liverpool’s significant spending has raised some eyebrows, once Núñez’s deal is finalized, manager Arne Slot’s net expenditure will drop to €112.5 million, placing them behind Arsenal, Manchester United, and Manchester City among Premier League clubs, with Tottenham, Sunderland, and Chelsea close behind.
