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Liverpool forward Darwin Nunez is expected to move to the Saudi Pro League to sign for Al Hilal in a deal worth around $62 million (£46 million), three years after he arrived at Anfield from Benfica.
While that will leave the Reds light in attack and needing more reinforcements —Luis Diaz has already signed for Bayern Munich and Federico Chiesa is potentially on the way out too — it could also have implications across the Premier League.
Sunderland and Leeds United are both interested in the Al Hilal striker Aleksandar Mitrovic. And if a deal for Nunez is completed, as expected, then that could allow the Serbian to return to Europe.
According to TeamTalk, Nunez's move could pave the way for Mitrovic to rejoin the Premier League. A switch to Sunderland would be controversial given that he previously played for Newcastle, but Leeds is also looking for better attacking options.
Mitrovic has scored 68 goals in 78 games in Saudi Arabia. He is said to earn around $535k (£400k) per week in the region, which would clearly need to be vastly reduced for him to secure a move back to England.
Nunez is set to earn around the same amount as Mitrovic is currently on at Al Hilal. Head coach Simone Inzaghi, the former Inter Milan manager, is said to have been pushing for the deal to go through.
Al Hilal finished second in the Saudi Pro League last season, eight points behind Al Ittihad. Liverpool has previously sold Jordan Henderson and Fabinho to the region, whose soccer league is still growing.
Amid Liverpool's interest in Alexander Isak, former Newcastle star Chris Waddle believes that the Magpies should have been in for Nunez, who was previously considered by Italian sides Napoli and AC Milan.
"It's interesting because all the talk is that Alexander Isak still might go to Liverpool, so why don’t Newcastle take a look at their squad?" Waddle, speaking to Premier League betting site talkSPORTBET, said this week.
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"Liverpool have also brought in Hugo Ekitike, who Newcastle were after. Newcastle should've asked for £100 million plus Nunez for Isak.
"He will find his form someday. He is scoring in pre-season and has proven over the years that he can do it.
"He’s just had a terrible time at Liverpool. I think at Newcastle, a changed environment, it could've just worked out — and Newcastle need a number nine."
Liverpool.com says: It is a shame in some ways that Nunez is going to Saudi Arabia. At 26, he would have been able to do a very good job for a team in Italy or Spain, but they were never likely to be able to afford the same transfer fee.
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