Arne Slot was forced to address Darwin Nunez 'clause' before Liverpool transfer exit

Darwin Nunez only left Liverpool last year but he could soon be at another club, with Turkish club Fenerbache eyeing a deal to sign the Uruguay international

Darwin Nunez and Arne Slot at Liverpool(Image: 2024 Visionhaus)

Darwin Nunez could be on the move from Al-Hilal just a few months on from his move to Saudi Arabia.

The Uruguay international is being linked with a transfer to Fenerbahce ahead of the closure of the January transfer window in Turkey on Friday. Fenerbahce has reportedly submitted its proposal to sign Nunez and it is said to have been well-received by the Saudi Pro League club.

A move to Fenerbahce for Nunez would see him play for a third club since the beginning of last year, and his spell at Liverpool may soon seem like a distant memory. However, it was not too long ago that Arne Slot was facing questions over his use – or lack thereof – of Nunez, after it was reported that the Reds did not want to trigger a clause in his contract that would lead to them paying more money to Benfica for the flop forward.

Liverpool's deal to sign Nunez cost the Reds around $90 million up front, with a possible further $30 million in performance-related add-ons.

There were rumors during the 2024-25 run-in that Nunez's lack of starts – he lined up in just one of Liverpool's last 20 league games of last season – was down to a clause in the Uruguayan's deal that would've seen Liverpool pay Benfica millions of dollars upon Nunez making a certain number of appearances for Liverpool.

Nunez's time in Saudi Arabia appears close to an end(Image: Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images)

Arne Slot was asked about that theory last April and responded: “Do you always believe what journalists say? Not always? Me neither.

"Sometimes you should, but sometimes it’s better not to believe everything that is written about players.

“This is completely new to me, and I’ve said many times that I’m working at a club here where it’s really nice to work.

"Mainly sporting directors are judged by the players they bring in, for me it’s very important to have a great working environment and I have that with Richard (Hughes).

“The last thing he would do, as I expect working with him for 10 months, is tell me: ‘If you play him it would cost us this much.’ That he would never do. I don’t even know if it’s true, yes or no, because we never talk about that. He never interferes with a lineup.”

Since joining Al-Hilal, Nunez has registered seven goals and five assists in 22 appearances.