Darwin Núñez Set for Trabzonspor Move to Reunite with Salah

Darwin Núñez’s whirlwind career is about to take another sharp turn. Just a year after leaving Liverpool for £46m and heading to Al‑Hilal, the Uruguayan striker is now closing in on a move to Trabzonspor – where Mohamed Salah is waiting.

The pair, who lit up Anfield together in flashes rather than seasons, could soon be sharing a dressing room again in Turkey. Salah ended his glittering nine-year stay at Liverpool this summer, signing a two‑year deal with Trabzonspor last week. Now the Turkish club are pushing to bring in Núñez to spearhead their attack alongside him.

From Liverpool hope to Al‑Hilal outcast

Núñez arrived at Liverpool as a forward built for the Premier League: powerful, direct, relentless in his running. He left last summer, though, as part of a sweeping clear‑out that brought Liverpool more than £250m in sales and helped fuel a record £455m spending spree.

That cash reshaped the squad. High‑profile signings such as Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike, Giovanni Leoni, Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong came through the door, while Núñez headed for a fresh start in Saudi Arabia, signing off from Merseyside with an emotional farewell.

The reset did not last long. Once Karim Benzema arrived at Al‑Hilal, Núñez slipped down the pecking order and was quickly viewed as expendable. Now, rather than leading the line in Riyadh, he is preparing for a move that could drag his career back into the European spotlight.

Trabzonspor push deal as loan emerges

Turkish journalist Yagiz Sabuncuoglu reports that Trabzonspor have already reached an agreement with Núñez and are now negotiating with Al‑Hilal to finalise the deal. Other reports indicate the move is likely to be a loan.

A temporary switch would suit all parties. Trabzonspor get a high‑ceiling striker without a huge transfer fee. Al‑Hilal keep control of an asset whose value has dipped but could climb again. Núñez, still only in his mid‑20s, gets a stage to rediscover his edge.

A strong season in Turkey, especially alongside a global star like Salah, would do more than restore confidence. It could bump his valuation back up and put his name back in conversations at major European clubs if Al‑Hilal decide to cash in permanently.

Atlanta United held talks over a move last month, but discussions with the MLS side stalled and went no further. Trabzonspor have stepped into that gap with far more intent.

The numbers – and the noise – from Anfield

Núñez’s Liverpool spell remains one of the more divisive recent chapters at Anfield. On paper, his output was far from disastrous: 143 appearances, 40 goals, 26 assists. Those are not the numbers of a flop.

Yet the conversation around him rarely stopped. Missed chances, erratic finishing, the club‑record fee – all of it fed into a narrative that often drowned out what he did well.

Atletico Madrid defender Álex Grimaldo, who played with Núñez at Benfica, has never understood the ferocity of the criticism.

“I thought that when he went to Liverpool, he was perfect for the Premier League, the type of player, and for Liverpool above all,” Grimaldo told After de Post United, via El Universo. “He was a very fast, very powerful striker, with a lot of goals, a good shot.

“I think he’s scored a lot of goals, he’s played… I just don’t understand the criticism. It always happens that when there’s a very high price, they demand double or triple, and it’s not the player’s fault, because the player has nothing to do with the price. It’s between clubs.

“So, in the end, you go to a team like Liverpool, there’s pressure, they demand a lot of you. There's always criticism, but I think he’s scored a lot of goals and assists for Liverpool anyway.”

That pressure never truly eased. A move away felt inevitable once Liverpool’s rebuild gathered pace.

A new stage, a familiar face

Now Núñez stands on the brink of a very different challenge. Trabzonspor is not Anfield, and the Turkish Super Lig is a world away from the Premier League and the Saudi Pro League. But this is still a club with fervent support, a demanding environment and now a genuine superstar in Salah.

For Núñez, it could be the perfect proving ground. A loan, a clean slate, a familiar ally on the right wing – and one more chance to show he is more than the punchline his critics tried to write for him.