Darwin Nunez could be forced to follow a strict rule if he ends up joining Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal, although Cristiano Ronaldo has reportedly been given ‘special permission’ to break the law.
Al Hilal have reached an agreement in principle to sign Nunez from Liverpool, according to The Athletic, who claim a deal worth €53 million [£46.2m] plus add-ons has been struck verbally.
The 28-year-old is keen on a move after he engaged in talks with Simone Inzaghi’s side.
It appears Liverpool will take a financial hit on Nunez, who joined Liverpool from Benfica in the summer of 2022 for an initial £64 million.
At the time, it was seen as good business given his impressive record for the Portuguese outfit, but following a 34-goal season, the Uruguayan struggled to hit the ground running and admitted to finding it difficult to adapt to the demands of Premier League football.
“It’s a very big change,” he told Sky Sports. “Here, the league is stronger, more competitive. I didn’t expect it to be so strong.”
nullDarwin Nunez celebrates scoring for Liverpool in a recent pre-season game against Athletic Bilbao. Image credit: Getty
It is said Liverpool turned down an approach from Al Hilal in January worth in the region of £70 million, but it appears the Saudi Pro League outfit are close to sealing a move for their priority target after months of speculation.
Darwin Nunez may be forced to follow strict rule if he joins Saudi club
Earlier this year, Cristiano Ronaldo penned a new deal with Al Nassr worth £488,000-a-day, meaning he and girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez would continue to live together in Saudi Arabia, despite the country’s laws forbidding unmarried couples from doing so.
Back in 2023, when the striker joined Al Nassr, two Saudi lawyers told Spanish international news agency EFE that authorities would ‘turn a blind eye’ to the couple living together.
An anonymous lawyer told EFE, as per SPORT: “Although the laws of the kingdom still prohibit cohabitation without a marriage contract, the authorities have recently started to turn a blind eye and no longer prosecute anyone.
“Although these laws are used when there is a problem or a crime.”
Another lawyer added: “Nowadays Saudi authorities no longer interfere in this matter – for expatriates – even though the law prohibits cohabitation without marriage.”