Former Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez is reportedly looking for a way out of Al-Hilal just four months after his high-profile move to the Saudi Pro League.
Argentine giants River Plate have emerged as the surprise contenders to sign the Uruguayan international.
River Plate eye shock Darwin Nunez swoop
According to Ole, River Plate will invest heavily to reformulate its squad for 2026. The club’s budget for next season foresees 20 million dollars (around £15 million) destined to sign new players.
In a sporting crisis after being eliminated from the Argentine Championship, River needs to hope that Boca Juniors wins the Clausura tournament.
Only then will the Millonarios qualify for the Libertadores. The uncomfortable situation and bad results made the board move to change the squad.
Among the targets is Darwin Nunez. According to the newspaper, Uruguayan striker Darwin Núñez was offered because he wants to leave Al-Hilal, but there was no progress.
If Nunez were to depart in January, it would mark one of the shortest and most expensive cameos in recent transfer history.
Nunez’s time in Saudi so far
His move to Al-Hilal in August 2025 was seen as a coup for the Saudi league, with the club paying Liverpool an initial fee of £46.3m to secure him after he fell down the pecking order under Arne Slot.
On the pitch, his time in Riyadh has been statistically decent but far from explosive. In 11 appearances across all competitions, Nunez has netted 5 goals and provided 2 assists.
However, he has battled minor knee injuries and has reportedly struggled to settle culturally.
His departure from Liverpool was emotional, leaving with a Premier League winner’s medal but a sense of unfulfilled potential after scoring 40 goals in 143 games.
What’s next for Darwin Nunez?
Barely half a season after leaving Europe, Núñez could already be preparing for another big move.
Whether his next chapter unfolds back in Europe or in front of River Plate’s fiery Monumental crowd, one thing is certain: the chaotic brilliance of Nunez is far from done and the transfer saga might only just be getting started.