Liverpool’s Darwin Núñez, once sold after a chaotic fit-and-flare spell, is set to become a free agent on July 1 after terminating his Al Hilal contract. Local reporting from Uruguay now suggests he could return to the club for next season after the World Cup
Last summer. Darwin Núñez walked away from Liverpool with plenty of belief around his talent—and frustration around his inconsistency. It was a move that still sits in the club’s memory. Liverpool paid £45M up front to bring the Uruguayan striker to Saudi Arabia. betting on a player who could change matches but had not looked like a long-term match under head coach Arne Slot.
The gamble didn’t land the way anyone hoped. Liverpool missed the graft Núñez brought, and the club found itself simply short on attacking options through the season. Across the Red Sea. Núñez also struggled to settle. and by January his squad registration was rescinded so space could be made for Karim Benzema.
That chain of events has now led to the moment fans keep circling back to: Núñez has agreed a contract termination with Al Hilal. The outcome is straightforward—he will become a free agent on July 1.
Once a player reaches that kind of status, the talk begins. For Núñez, that included speculation about a possible Liverpool return. That chatter always felt like wishful thinking. Now. the conversation has a new spark because fresh reporting from Uruguay says the 26-year-old striker will play in Liverpool next season.
The reported timeline matters. If it happens as described, Núñez would officially re-join Liverpool once the World Cup ends—leaving a stretch of weeks where nothing is confirmed but the atmosphere can change fast.
Even if the sourcing behind the rumor is strong, there is still room for uncertainty. Transfer stories can shift on details, and this one carries built-in wiggle room. But when local reporting from Uruguay points to Núñez coming back to Liverpool. it’s hard to dismiss it as noise—especially for a player whose departure was defined by sharp talent and uneven fit. and whose exit from Saudi is already documented in how quickly his registration was reversed.
Right now. Liverpool and the player are both in the same waiting game: July 1 for the free-agent status. then the World Cup for the return. For supporters. it’s the kind of football detour that can feel either like a late twist—or a reminder that the next few weeks are exactly where stories are made or broken.
Darwin Núñez Liverpool Al Hilal Saudi Pro League Arne Slot Karim Benzema World Cup transfer rumor free agent