Darwin Núñez Set for Loan Move from Al Hilal to Portugal

Darwin Núñez is edging towards the exit at Al Hilal, with the Uruguayan striker set for a loan move that would include an option to buy running until June 2027.

Stationed with the Saudi champions at their pre-season camp in Austria, Núñez has been pushing for a way out. Now he has the green light to go, the framework of his next step already on the table.

From Barça’s radar to a Portuguese tug-of-war

His situation inevitably drew attention. At one point, FC Barcelona viewed Núñez as a potential low-cost alternative to Julián Álvarez, a stopgap solution if their main target proved out of reach.

His representatives even offered him to Barça. The proposal landed on the sporting department’s desk, was studied, and then quietly shelved. No bid, no formal move, just a passing opportunity in a tight market.

While Barcelona looked elsewhere, another door opened.

According to Saudi outlet Arriyadiyah, Núñez is now closing in on a return to the Portuguese league, with Porto and Benfica emerging as the frontrunners. A familiar stage, and two very different scenarios: one a reunion, the other a switch to a historic rival.

Initially, the striker pushed to terminate his contract outright. That idea has been parked. The compromise is a loan deal, with an option to buy, that suits all parties well enough to keep talks alive.

To make it happen, Núñez is ready to sacrifice part of his salary. Al Hilal will still cover a portion of his wages for one season, easing the financial load on his next club and smoothing the path to an agreement.

The clock is ticking. Negotiations are active, with everyone involved hoping to wrap things up before Al Hilal fly back to Saudi Arabia on 3 August.

Back to where it all clicked

A return to Portugal carries obvious appeal for Núñez. His time at Benfica remains the high point of his career so far.

Benfica beat Barcelona to his signature when they brought him in from Almería for €25 million, a deal that quickly looked like a bargain. In Lisbon, he exploded: goals, presence, a rising reputation that eventually convinced Liverpool to spend more than €75 million to take him to Anfield.

The Premier League, though, never quite bent to his will. He struggled to fully establish himself in England, and his subsequent move to Saudi Arabia has not brought the stability or form he once enjoyed in Portugal.

So the idea of going back, of returning to a league he knows and a country where he thrived, makes sense. Other options surfaced – Atlanta United in MLS and Besiktas both made approaches – but neither managed to reach an agreement that suited all sides.

Portugal, instead, is where the trail now leads.

Barcelona look elsewhere, Núñez looks homeward

Barcelona, for their part, were again offered the chance to take Núñez on loan. They passed. No fresh talks, no late twist.

Their priority remains clear: Julián Álvarez. Yet inside the club there is a growing acceptance that landing the Argentine may prove impossible in this window, whether for financial reasons or because his current club refuse to open the door.

While Barça wrestle with that reality, Núñez’s path appears more defined. One more move, one more reset, this time back in a league that once made him one of Europe’s most sought-after forwards.

The only real question now is which shade of blue will frame his second act in Portugal – Porto’s or Benfica’s – and whether this return can relight a career that has been searching for its old spark.