Darwin Núñez considers Europe return as Besiktas nears loan deal

Darwin Núñez went to Saudi Arabia to be a headline act. A year on, he is looking for the exit.

The Uruguay international has not settled at Al-Hilal and, after a muted first season in the Saudi Pro League and an equally underwhelming 2026 FIFA World Cup, the 27-year-old is pushing for a new stage. He has reported back for pre-season after his holiday, but his mind is elsewhere.

He is under contract until 2028. On paper, Al-Hilal hold all the cards. In reality, they have a restless centre-forward who wants out.

A €55m gamble that never took off

Al-Hilal paid €55 million to bring Núñez in last summer, a statement fee for a striker expected to lead their line. Instead, he found himself living in the shadow of Karim Benzema, who remained the club’s first-choice No. 9.

The move has not delivered what either side imagined. Núñez has not been the focal point. The club have not seen the return on their investment. Both now know a clean solution is needed, but not a cheap one.

That is why Al-Hilal are resisting any permanent sale at a low price. The most realistic route on the table is a loan until the end of the season, one that gives Núñez minutes and keeps the asset on their books.

Besiktas step forward

Into that gap have stepped Besiktas. According to transfer specialist Sacha Tavolieri, the Turkish club are close to an agreement that would bring Núñez to Istanbul on loan.

For the player, the attraction is obvious: guaranteed playing time, a central role, a major European league with a demanding fanbase and high-stakes fixtures. He would not be a supporting act there.

The financials, though, underline the crossroads in his career. The salary on offer in Turkey is lower than the package available in MLS. Núñez knows he would be trading some money for minutes and relevance.

Right now, that appears to be a trade he is willing to make.

MLS waits in the wings

The interest is not only coming from Europe. Atlanta United have already submitted an offer to Al-Hilal for the former Liverpool striker, looking to make him one of the faces of their project in Major League Soccer.

On paper, MLS can compete on wages and lifestyle. Atlanta can sell a clear plan and a central role. The proposal is on the table.

Yet Núñez’s preference is clear: he wants to return to Europe. At 27, he sees himself still in the thick of the European game, not stepping away from it. For now, that keeps Besiktas in pole position and MLS in a holding pattern.

Barcelona’s distant gaze

Hovering in the background is a bigger name: FC Barcelona.

The Catalan club intend to bring in a top striker this summer. Their first choice is Atletico Madrid and Argentina forward Julián Álvarez, a profile that fits both their sporting needs and their long-term planning.

That pursuit, though, has hit a wall. Atletico have no intention of selling this summer, and every conversation has been complicated, every pathway blocked.

As the difficulty around Álvarez grows, Deco has started to scan the market for alternatives. Núñez’s name is on the list, and he has been offered to Barça, but there has been no real movement from the club. At this stage, a deal is viewed as unlikely.

Barcelona see him more as a contingency than a cornerstone. Núñez, for his part, cannot afford to wait forever on a “maybe” from Camp Nou.

A career at a turning point

So Núñez stands at a decisive moment. Besiktas offer prominence and a route back into the European spotlight. MLS, through Atlanta United, promise a lucrative and ambitious project in the United States. Barcelona watch, but from a distance, focused on a different prize.

Al-Hilal, meanwhile, are determined not to write off a €55m investment.

For a striker who once looked set to dominate European nights, the next move will say everything about his ambitions. Does he choose the roar of Istanbul, the pull of America, or hold out for a late twist from one of Europe’s giants?