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Darwin Nunez is on the verge of joining newly promoted Saudi Pro League side Al-Diriyah on a season-long loan from Al-Hilal.

The Al-Hilal striker has been pushed out of the first-team picture, and the 27-year-old Uruguay international is now nearing a temporary move that would give him the chance to play regularly after a difficult period in Riyadh. Al-Diriyah, the league newcomers, are set to pay his wages in full as part of the deal.

Temporary arrangement agreed smoothly

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has reported that Nunez has formally accepted a season-long loan switch to promoted Saudi Pro League club Al-Diriyah. The agreement does not include an option to buy, while the newly promoted side have agreed to take on the full salary of the Uruguay forward. The move is seen as a practical way for the striker to end his first-team isolation at Al-Hilal.

Contractual disputes stall negotiations

Before moving closer to Al-Diriyah, Nunez had been heavily linked with Turkish giants Trabzonspor, where he was expected to link up again with former Liverpool team-mate Mohamed Salah. The idea was to revive their effective Anfield partnership in the Super Lig and attract major global interest. But the talks eventually broke down because of an unresolved contractual issue with Al-Hilal. Reports suggest the Saudi club still owe the striker substantial unpaid wages and bonus money, which he was unwilling to give up by agreeing to a unilateral termination of his contract.

Roster limitations force change

Nunez has already experienced a number of major moves in his career, coming through at Penarol, impressing at Almeria, joining Benfica for €24m, and then completing a transfer worth more than €80m to Liverpool in 2022. But his spell in the Middle East soon went off track because of strict foreign player quota rules and the arrival of Karim Benzema, leading head coach Simone Inzaghi to leave the Uruguayan out of Al-Hilal's domestic league squad. With his contract running until June 2028, a temporary move within Saudi Arabia now appears to be his only realistic option for regular football and for maintaining his standing.

Fresh start offers redemption

A move to Al-Diriyah would give Nunez an important opportunity to rebuild his confidence and recover the sharp finishing touch that faded during his recent spell on the sidelines. Any hopes of an immediate return to European football will have to wait until he can establish himself as the main attacking figure for the Saudi newcomers. Producing steady performances throughout this season could be crucial when his long-term future in Riyadh comes under review next summer.