Darwin Núñez's Loan Move to Trabzonspor Derailed
Darwin Núñez’s next move looked nailed on. A reunion with Mohamed Salah at Trabzonspor, a fresh start in Turkiye, and a chance to reboot his career alongside a familiar face. Then the script flipped.
Loan to Trabzonspor derailed
On the final day of Al Hilal’s pre-season camp in Austria, reporter Sacha Tovalieri revealed that Núñez had been left out of the squad. The plan was clear: he would fly to Turkiye the following day to seal a loan move to Trabzonspor.
That flight never came.
Saudi Pro League rivals Al Diriyah stepped in late, opening talks with Al Hilal and tabling their own loan proposal. The move is now understood to have hijacked Trabzonspor’s deal, with Al Diriyah emerging as Núñez’s likely destination instead.
For Núñez, it is another sharp turn in a turbulent few years. Liverpool paid around $62 million (£46 million) to bring him from Benfica, betting big on his raw power and penalty-box threat. He left Anfield last year for Al Hilal, still a high-profile name but searching for consistency.
Salah’s star power in Turkiye
While Núñez’s path veers toward another Saudi club, Salah has already lit up his new world. Confirmed as a Trabzonspor player this summer, the Egyptian was greeted by a rapturous reception on arrival and immediately became the highest-paid player in Turkiye.
He made his debut last weekend, coming off the bench in a 1-1 draw with Kasimpasa. Around him, Trabzonspor have quietly built a side stacked with familiar names: former Southampton striker Paul Onuachu and ex-Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana among them.
A Liverpool reunion between Salah and Núñez would have added another layer to that project. Instead, Salah’s revival in Turkiye looks set to continue without his old strike partner.
Liverpool’s No.9 puzzle
Back at Anfield, Núñez’s departure triggered a major reshaping of Liverpool’s attack. The club moved for Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike last summer, but neither has fully ignited yet.
Isak, signed for around $169 million (£125 million), now faces enormous expectations. With Ekitike sidelined for several more months, the Swede stands as Liverpool’s only fit out-and-out centre-forward.
European football analyst Julian Laurens underlined the issue this week, arguing that Liverpool still need another striker until Ekitike returns from a long-term injury and with Cody Gakpo’s future uncertain.
If Gakpo goes, the options narrow quickly. Federico Chiesa could be repurposed centrally. Dominik Szoboszlai or Curtis Jones might be asked to operate as a false nine. None of those ideas, though, replace the presence of a natural No.9.
Laurens also pointed to another looming task: reshaping the midfield to fit Andoni Iraola’s intense, high-energy style, which differs sharply from Arne Slot’s approach. Right now, the engine room does not fully match the new manager’s blueprint.
So Núñez heads for another fresh start, Salah carries the weight of a league on his shoulders in Turkiye, and Liverpool walk into a season where their entire attacking structure hangs on Isak’s shoulders and the success of a rebuild still very much in motion.
