Darwin Nunez's Liverpool Return Fades as AC Milan Circles

Darwin Nunez once left Anfield as Liverpool’s record signing, a symbol of a new attacking era. Now, barely a year on from his exit, the idea of a romantic return already looks dead in the water.

Liverpool, according to reports, are set to walk away from the chance to re-sign the Uruguayan, leaving AC Milan to move to the front of the queue for a forward whose career has stalled at alarming speed.

From Anfield to the Abyss

Nunez is currently with Uruguay at the FIFA World Cup, but his club situation is a long way from the elite stage he occupies with his country.

Last summer he swapped Liverpool for Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia in a deal worth an initial £46 million and a staggering £400,000 per week. It was supposed to be a lucrative reset. Instead, it has turned into a footballing cul-de-sac.

His minutes have dried up almost completely since February. When Al-Hilal sealed a deal for Karim Benzema, Nunez was pushed to the fringes, de-listed from the domestic squad and effectively frozen out. A marquee signing reduced to a spare part.

Bielsa’s Brutal Assessment

The lack of game time has not gone unnoticed back home. Uruguay head coach Marcelo Bielsa is reported to have had concerns about Nunez for some time, believing the striker has “physically deteriorated” during his spell of inactivity in Saudi Arabia.

For a player whose game is built on power, aggression, and relentless running, that is a damning assessment. It also helps explain why Al-Hilal are now understood to be ready to cut their losses.

The Saudi club are said to be willing to rip up his contract and facilitate a return to Europe, either on a free transfer or for a heavily reduced fee. On paper, that should tempt a host of clubs. In practice, his former employers are unconvinced.

Liverpool Step Back

Liverpool, the club that once invested heavily in his potential, are not expected to make a move. The outgoing Premier League champions are reported to be wary of the risk attached to a player whose form and fitness have both been questioned.

The idea of a reunion, which might have appealed to some romantics on Merseyside, does not fit the cold reality of squad planning and wage structures. Liverpool appear ready to let this one pass.

And so the spotlight shifts to Italy.

Milan Scent an Opportunity

Ruben Amorim’s AC Milan have emerged as the most serious suitors. The Rossoneri have tracked Nunez before, during his Liverpool days, and now see a second chance to land a striker who, at his best, can bully defences and stretch backlines.

“There have already been some contacts with players attending the World Cup, one of whom is Darwin Nunez,” a report from Milan Vibes states, underlining the early groundwork being done.

The numbers, though, are eye-watering. Nunez’s current salary sits at around €2 million per month – a figure miles beyond Milan’s usual structure. For a club that has worked hard to control its wage bill, that is a major obstacle.

Two Paths on the Table

The Italian side are said to be weighing two possible routes.

• One is a permanent transfer at a fee “significantly lower” than what Al-Hilal paid Liverpool. That would give Milan freedom to reshape Nunez’s salary into something more compatible with their internal caps. The scenario becomes even more interesting if Rafael Leao, currently occupying the club’s biggest salary slot, were to leave. Space in the budget, and in the attack, would open up in one move.
• The alternative is a loan deal, with Al-Hilal subsidising a chunk of the wages. That option, though, is described as “highly unlikely”. Saudi clubs have shown they can be ruthless in their financial decisions, but there is little sign they are eager to bankroll a revival elsewhere.

A Career at a Crossroads

Nunez has been here before, at least in theory. He was previously linked with Milan while still at Liverpool and is also reported to regret missing out on a move to Serie A with Napoli last summer.

Now the stakes are far higher. This is no longer about choosing between elite European projects. It is about rescuing a career that has drifted from centre stage to the margins in less than a year.

Liverpool have looked, assessed, and stepped away. Milan, if they can make the numbers work, may yet offer him the platform he thought he was securing when he first came to Europe.

The question is simple and brutal: does Darwin Nunez still have the physical edge and mental bite to prove he belongs at that level again?