Darwin Núñez's Loan Move Takes a Twist as Mohamed Salah Joins Trabzonspor

Darwin Núñez’s next move has taken a sharp turn, and Mohamed Salah will not be the familiar face waiting for him in Turkiye after all.

For days, the plan looked clear. Núñez, left out of Al Hilal’s squad on the final day of their training camp in Austria, was reportedly preparing to fly to Turkiye to complete a loan switch to Trabzonspor. The move would have reunited him with Salah, his former Liverpool teammate, in what promised to be one of the headline pairings of the Turkish season.

Then the picture changed.

Saudi Pro League rivals Al Diriyah are understood to have stepped in late, opening talks with Al Hilal and putting a loan proposal on the table. That intervention has effectively hijacked Trabzonspor’s move, with Núñez now expected to head to Al Diriyah instead of Turkiye.

It is another sharp twist in the Uruguayan’s career since leaving Anfield. Liverpool sold Núñez last year for around $62 million (£46 million), three years after prising him from Benfica in a big-money deal that was supposed to anchor their forward line for the long term.

While Núñez’s path veers back towards Saudi Arabia, Salah has already started to write his own new chapter at Trabzonspor. Announced to a rapturous reception, the Egyptian arrived as the highest-paid player in Turkiye and the instant centrepiece of the club’s project.

He made his debut last weekend, coming off the bench in a 1-1 draw with Kasimpasa. Around him, there is no shortage of familiar names: former Southampton striker Paul Onuachu leads the line, while ex-Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana stands behind a rebuilt defence. The stage was set for Núñez to join that cast. Al Diriyah’s late surge has torn up that script.

Back at Liverpool, the aftershocks of Núñez’s departure are still being felt. The club moved aggressively last summer, bringing in Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike to reshape the attack. On paper, it was a bold refresh. On the pitch, neither has fully caught fire yet at Anfield.

Isak, signed for around $169 million (£125 million), now carries enormous responsibility. With Ekitike sidelined and expected to miss several more months, the Swede stands as the only fully fit central striker.

That imbalance has not gone unnoticed. European football analyst Julian Laurens underlined the concern this week.

"I still think that until Ekitike comes back from injury — it’s a long one, we’re not sure exactly when it will be — they probably need a back-up to Isak, especially if Cody Gakpo goes," he said. "You’re only left really with Isak as your nine."

The tactical jigsaw offers some emergency solutions. Laurens pointed to the possibility of using Federico Chiesa, or even redeploying Dominik Szoboszlai or Curtis Jones as a false nine. It is a workable patch, not a long-term fix.

"But I still think they would need a backup striker there until Ekitike comes back," he added. "It could be a loan, it could be like the Ronald Araujo deal they did for the defense."

Up front is only half the story. The midfield, too, sits under the microscope as Liverpool adjust to Andoni Iraola’s demands. His high-energy, aggressive style is a marked shift from Arne Slot’s approach, and Laurens questioned whether the current group is tailored to it.

"Then also that midfield needs a bit of a rebuild, especially for the way Iraola wants to play, very different to Arne Slot. I’m not sure right now this midfield is exactly what he would want."

So Núñez heads for a fresh loan, Salah chases goals and glory in Turkiye, and Liverpool stare at a depth chart that looks thin in the most important area of the pitch. With the season stretching out and the games about to pile up, how long can they gamble on Isak standing alone as their only true No. 9?