Darwin Núñez Set for Trabzonspor Move—Reunion with Mohamed Salah

Darwin Núñez is on the move again. One year after swapping Anfield for Al‑Hilal in a £46m deal, the Uruguayan striker is closing in on a switch to Trabzonspor – and a reunion with Mohamed Salah.

From Liverpool hope to Saudi surplus

Liverpool once framed Núñez as a long‑term spearhead. He arrived on Merseyside with expectation heavy on his shoulders and a price tag to match. Across 143 appearances he produced 40 goals and 26 assists, numbers that would normally buy a striker patience.

They did not. Every miss felt magnified. Every heavy touch dissected.

The scrutiny followed him to the point that, last summer, Liverpool cashed in. His departure formed part of a major clear‑out that brought in more than £250m in sales and underpinned a record £455m recruitment drive, with big names like Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike, Giovanni Leoni, Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong arriving to reshape the squad.

Núñez left with an emotional farewell, chasing a clean break at Al‑Hilal.

Benzema arrives, Núñez pushed towards the exit

The fresh start never truly materialised. Once Karim Benzema walked through the door at Al‑Hilal, Núñez’s status shifted. The former Liverpool man, signed for serious money, suddenly looked expendable.

Now Trabzonspor are ready to offer him a way out and a familiar face to link up with.

Salah ended his glittering nine‑year stay at Liverpool this summer, signing a two‑year deal with the Turkish club last week. The idea of the pair lining up together again, this time in the Super Lig rather than the Premier League, has moved quickly from fantasy to live possibility.

Deal taking shape in Turkey

Turkish journalist Yagiz Sabuncuoglu reports that Trabzonspor have reached an agreement with Núñez and are in talks with Al‑Hilal to finalise the transfer. Other reports point towards a loan move rather than a permanent deal.

A temporary switch would suit all parties. For Núñez, it offers a stage to reset his career and rediscover the ruthless edge that made him such a force at Benfica. For Al‑Hilal, a strong season in Turkey could restore or even boost his valuation, opening the door to a profitable permanent sale and renewed interest from major European clubs.

Trabzonspor, meanwhile, would get a high‑ceiling forward with a point to prove, feeding off service from Salah in front of a fanbase that demands attacking football.

This is not the first escape route floated for Núñez. Talks with MLS side Atlanta United surfaced last month but went nowhere. Turkey now stands as the clearest path out.

The numbers, the noise, and the defender who never understood

For all the noise around Núñez at Liverpool, those inside the game have often been baffled by the intensity of the criticism.

Atletico Madrid defender Alex Grimaldo, who played with him at Benfica, has previously voiced his disbelief.

“I thought that when he went to Liverpool, he was perfect for the Premier League, the type of player, and for Liverpool above all,” he told After de Post United, via El Universo. “He was a very fast, very powerful striker, with a lot of goals, a good shot.

“I think he’s scored a lot of goals, he’s played… I just don’t understand the criticism. It always happens that when there’s a very high price, they demand double or triple, and it’s not the player’s fault, because the player has nothing to do with the price. It’s between clubs.

“So, in the end, you go to a team like Liverpool, there’s pressure, they demand a lot of you. There's always criticism, but I think he’s scored a lot of goals and assists for Liverpool anyway.”

Those words now hang over the next chapter of Núñez’s career.

If the Trabzonspor deal goes through and he links up with Salah again, the question is no longer whether he can handle the pressure at a giant like Liverpool. It’s whether a season in Turkey can turn a much‑debated talent back into one of Europe’s most feared forwards.