Darwin Núñez's Next Move: Al Diriyah Hijacks Trabzonspor Plans

Darwin Núñez’s next move has taken a sharp turn, with a planned reunion with Mohamed Salah at Trabzonspor suddenly slipping away after late intervention from a rival Saudi club.

For days, the script seemed written. Núñez, left out of Al Hilal’s squad on the final day of their training camp in Austria, was expected to fly to Turkiye and seal a loan switch to Trabzonspor. A fresh start, a familiar face in Salah, and a league ready to embrace another high-profile arrival.

Then the plot changed.

Saudi Pro League side Al Diriyah stepped in and, according to reports, opened talks with Al Hilal and tabled their own proposal for a loan deal. The move is now understood to be Núñez’s likeliest destination, hijacking Trabzonspor’s plans at the eleventh hour and keeping the Uruguayan in Saudi Arabia rather than sending him back to Europe.

It is another twist in a turbulent few years for Núñez. Liverpool paid around $62 million (£46 million) to bring him from Benfica, banking on his raw power and penalty-box chaos to lead their next attacking era. Last year, he left Anfield for Al Hilal, the Premier League chapter closed far earlier than many expected.

Trabzonspor had hoped to pair him with Salah, who has already been greeted like royalty. The Egyptian arrived to a rapturous reception and instantly became the highest-paid player in Turkiye, underlining the scale of the club’s ambition. He made his debut last weekend, coming off the bench in a 1-1 draw with Kasimpasa, easing into a side that also features former Southampton striker Paul Onuachu and ex-Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana.

Núñez lining up alongside Salah again would have given Trabzonspor one of the most eye-catching forward lines in the league. Instead, Al Diriyah’s late move looks set to keep that reunion in the realm of what might have been.

Back on Merseyside, Liverpool are still dealing with the aftershocks of Núñez’s departure. They moved aggressively last summer, bringing in Alexander Isak for around $169 million (£125 million) and adding Hugo Ekitike as another option through the middle. On paper, it was a statement reset of the attack.

On the pitch, the picture is more complicated. Neither Isak nor Ekitike has fully hit their ceiling at Anfield. Ekitike now faces several more months out, leaving Isak as the only fully fit centre-forward.

That imbalance has already sparked debate. European football expert Julian Laurens underlined the concern this week, pointing out that until Ekitike returns from his long-term injury, Liverpool are walking a tightrope at number nine. If Cody Gakpo also moves on, the burden on Isak grows heavier still.

Yes, there are tactical workarounds. Federico Chiesa could be pushed inside. Dominik Szoboszlai or Curtis Jones could operate as a false nine in certain games. But those are adjustments, not long-term solutions. Laurens suggested a temporary fix up front — perhaps a loan, similar in spirit to the Ronald Araujo deal Liverpool used to bolster their defense — just to bridge the gap until Ekitike is available again.

And that is only half the job. The midfield, too, sits at a crossroads. Andoni Iraola’s demands are intense, his style a sharp departure from Arne Slot’s approach. The current options do not yet look like a perfect fit for the way he wants to play. Energy, pressing angles, ball progression — all of it will need recalibrating if Liverpool are to mirror their manager’s blueprint.

Núñez, meanwhile, is caught between projects and continents, his future shaped not by sentiment or old partnerships but by the cold clarity of late bids and fast decisions. Salah has his new stage in Trabzon. Liverpool have their rebuild to navigate.

The real question now is whether Núñez’s next stop finally gives him the platform his talent keeps promising — or becomes just another short chapter in a career still searching for its defining season.