Many of Liverpool's most-expensive signings of all-time have been completely transformational. Alisson and Virgil van Dijk have been bedrocks in the success enjoyed under former managers Jürgen Klopp and Arne Slot, while the jury remains out on last summer's new recruits Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak. However, one flop is Darwin Núñez.
After arriving from Benfica for £85 million in the summer of 2022, a club record fee at the time, he scored just 40 goals in 143 appearances for the Reds, never justifying his astronomical price tag. Thus, 12 months ago, Liverpool were delighted to sell him to Al-Hilal for around £46 million, despite making a big loss. However, after a nightmare year in Saudi Arabia, will the 27 year old be on the move again?
As reported by Tom Bogert and Paul Tenorio of the Athletic, Atlanta United are "pursuing" a deal to sign Núñez. They add that "talks have commenced but are not yet advanced" and the Five Stripes also have Switzerland striker Breel Embolo on their shortlist of targets.
Atlanta do no currently have an open Designated Player spot, but are close to moving on Emmanuel Latte Lath, who has been a total flop since arriving from Middlesbrough for a club-record $22 million. So, could Núñez soon call Mercedes-Benz Stadium home?
Why Darwin Núñez is desperate to leave Saudi Arabia
A brilliant passage of play from Hamad Al Yami sets up Darwin Núñez, who scores on his #ACLElite debut! ⚽
— #ACLElite | #ACLTwo (@TheAFCCL) September 16, 2025
#HILvDUH | #WorldClassAssist | @qatarairways pic.twitter.com/Fr4neVi5zW
It was very much a campaign of two halves for Núñez with Al-Hilal. During the first half of the campaign, he scored a respectable nine goals in 24 appearances, on top of five assists. This included a brace against Steven Gerrard's former side Al-Ettifaq, as well as a goal on his AFC Champions League debut against Qatari outfit Al-Duhail.
However, at the end of the January transfer window, his club then signed Karim Benzema from Al-Ittihad. The problem is that each Saudi Pro League club is only allowed to register a maximum of ten foreign players, which saw Núñez de-registered and ineligible to feature.
Therefore, he has not played a single minute of club football since 16 February, actually scoring twice against Al-Wahda in an Asian Champions League clash, but cast aside thereafter. Thus, he clearly has no future in Riyāḍh, certain to be on the move this summer, but will the state of Georgia be the destination?
Would Atlanta United be a good home for Darwin Núñez?
Atlanta United are one of the most ambitious clubs in Major League Soccer, if not one of the most successful of late. After joining as an expansion club in 2017, they won MLS Cup at the end of just their second year, beating Portland Timbers 2-0 in front of a 73,000+ strong home crowd. That team was spearheaded by Josef Martínez and Miguel Almirón, who is actually back at the club now after a stint at Newcastle, and the Five Stripes have always had a strong South American core.
Of their 14 DPs, nine have come from either Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay or Venezuela, including World Cup winner Thiago Almada, who they then sold for $21 million. Thus, with a strong Spanish-speaking community in Atlanta, Núñez would likely feel at home in America's south east.
Led by 2018 MLS Cup winning coach Tata Martino, who returned earlier this year, Atlanta are currently second-bottom of the Eastern Conference, which is not ideal, but Núñez is part of their plan to climb up the standings. It does though remain to be seen if the Uruguayan will make this move.
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