Darwin Nunez has enjoyed a fruitful start to his Al-Hilal career, bagging two goals in his first two appearances.
The Uruguayan frontman, 26, completed his move to the Saudi Pro League last week after Mail Sport revealed Liverpool had accepted a £53million offer from Al-Hilal to secure his signature.
Nunez’s departure came just three years after Jurgen Klopp splashed out £85m to bring him to Anfield following a glowing spell at Portuguese giants Benfica.
He joined his new teammates – including fellow stars Joao Cancelo, Theo Hernandez and Alexandar Mitrovic – at their pre-season camp in Germany over the weekend before making his debut in his new side’s 6-0 thrashing of Aarau on Sunday.
Coming off the bench, the Premier League flop fired a low-driven effort past the Swiss club’s goalkeeper to open his account for the 19-time Saudi Pro League champions.
And his impressive start to life with Al-Hilal didn’t stop there as Nunez was once again on the scoresheet on Thursday against German locals Waldhof Mannheim.
Darwin Nunez has made a flying start to life with his new club Al-Hilal
The Uruguayan, still just 26, has scored in both of his first two appearances for the club
Nunez endured a difficult three years at Liverpool after signing for £85million three summers ago
The striker, who managed 40 goals in 143 appearances for Liverpool, laced a volley into the roof of the net as his side concluded their pre-season trip to Germany.
Nunez’s prolific start to his Al-Hilal career may come as a surprise to Reds supporters, who watched the Uruguayan struggle in-front of goal during his time in Merseyside.
In two of his three seasons at Liverpool, he ranked in the top three players in the league for big chances missed, with 21 in 2022-23 and 27 the following season.
And in his final 22 appearances for Arne Slot’s Premier League champions, Nunez managed a mere one goal as he pushed for a move away from Anfield.
Slot and club bosses have gone about finding a new striker to lead their line this season.
Not only have they forked out an initial £69m for Eintracht Frankfurt talent Hugo Ekitike, who scored in his competitive debut for the club over the weekend, but they’re also pursuing a deal for Newcastle United talesman Alexander Isak.
After having an initial bid of £110m rejected by The Magpies, the Reds are thought to be weighing up their second offer, which could reach a stunning £150m.
Isak is thought to be ‘adamant he will never represent Newcastle again’, after reporting an injury to pull out of the club’s pre-season tour of Asia. He later left Tyneside to build his fitness at the training ground of Real Sociedad, his former club.
Arne Slot and Liverpool have gone about replacing Nunez this summer
After bringing in Hugo Ekitike, they’re now pursuing Newcastle United talesman Alexander Isak
The Swede is now believed to be on strike, and is expected to be fined by the club if he doesn’t appear for them in the first game of their league campaign at Aston Villa on Sunday.
Isak scored 27 goals in 42 appearances in all competitions for Newcastle last season.
The Magpies face Liverpool at St James’ Park in their second game of the Premier League season.
