Some careers follow a straight line from potential to peak.
And then there’s Darwin Nunez.
Every chapter of his story has come with drama.
Darwin Nunez set for Premier League return
According to the Daily Star, Darwin Nunez has reached an agreement with Al-Hilal to leave the club at the end of the season, with Chelsea and Newcastle United both keeping close tabs on his situation ahead of a bustling summer window.
The story of how it unravelled in Saudi Arabia is a familiar one in that league.
Nunez arrived at Al Hilal last summer in a deal worth an initial £46 million.
He started well enough.
Nine goals in the early part of the campaign suggested the fresh start was working.
And then Karim Benzema arrived in January.
Al Hilal operate under strict foreign player regulations that allow only eight overseas players born before 2003 in their 25-man squad.
Nunez was de-registered.
And he hasn’t played since February, with his last appearance being a brace against Al Wahda in the AFC Champions League.
For a 26-year-old who should be entering the prime years of his career, that kind of enforced absence is damaging in every sense.
His market value on Transfermarkt has already dropped from £39 million at the time of his Liverpool exit to £30 million now.
If Al-Hilal cancel his contract entirely rather than waiting for it to expire, that number becomes irrelevant — and Chelsea or Newcastle could walk in and sign him for nothing.
That changes the calculation completely.
At £64 million, Nunez divided opinion throughout his Liverpool career. 40 goals in 143 appearances — a decent return, but never quite the transformative presence that price tag demanded.
At zero pounds, the conversation is entirely different.
His physical profile remains elite. Pace that few defenders can handle in transition. Movement in behind. An unpredictability that — on his best days — makes him one of the most difficult strikers in Europe to contain.
Arne Slot labelled his work rate “unacceptable” during his final months at Anfield.
But a change of environment, a manager who believes in him, and the hunger that comes from being frozen out at 26 could unlock a very different player.
Juventus are also reportedly monitoring the situation.
And Fenerbahce explored a move in January before talks collapsed.
For now, the Premier League feels like the most natural destination.
It’s where his strengths were most evident. It’s where the pace and chaos of his game caused the most damage.
And it’s where, with the right club and the right system, there may still be a very good striker waiting to emerge.
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