The Spanish press have lifted the lid on an intriguing twist in the future of Uruguay's Darwin Nunez. The Al-Hilal striker could be on his way to Barcelona this summer.
Nunez joined Al-Hilal last summer from Liverpool in a deal worth 55 million euros, ending an inconsistent spell in England. He never nailed down a regular starting place, though, and that has made an exit this summer a live possibility.
According to Spanish newspaper "Sport", Nunez is ready to make a major financial sacrifice to fulfil his dream of pulling on the Barcelona shirt. He has no problem waving goodbye to part of the huge salary he pockets at Al-Hilal if it smooths the path to the Catalan club.
He is also keeping a close eye on the transfer market while pushing to strike a deal that lets him leave, the newspaper added. The Saudi club, though, want to claw back part of the fee they paid to sign him. They are reluctant to tear up the contract outright, though a loan remains on the table if all parties can find the right formula.
Read also: From the heart of the scene: will Ounahi join Al-Ittihad?
This is not the first chapter in Nunez's Barcelona story. He came within a whisker of joining them back in 2020 as an Almeria player, when Barcelona tabled an offer for 50% of his rights, only for Benfica to swoop and land him for 33 million euros. From there, he exploded into stardom across European pitches.
Nunez may want the move badly, but Barcelona's hierarchy still have Argentina's Julian Alvarez at the top of their striker wishlist. They know, though, that the Al-Hilal man could become a realistic option if that first deal stalls in the coming days.