Darwin Núñez's Future: Istanbul or MLS?
Darwin Núñez’s Saudi experiment looks close to its end after just one turbulent year. The Uruguayan striker, once one of Europe’s most coveted forwards, has grown restless at Al-Hilal and is now pushing for a way out, with his future dangling between Istanbul, MLS, and a distant, faint link to Barcelona.
A short, uneasy stay at Al-Hilal
Núñez arrived in Riyadh last summer for around €55 million, a marquee signing expected to spearhead Al-Hilal’s attack. Instead, he found himself living in the shadow of Karim Benzema, who kept his status as the first-choice centre-forward.
The timing has not helped him. Núñez returned from a muted 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with Uruguay and rejoined Al-Hilal’s pre-season camp after his holiday, but his stance has not changed: he wants out. His contract runs until 2028, yet the relationship already feels exhausted.
Al-Hilal, for their part, are in no mood to accept a cut-price exit. They invested heavily and do not intend to let him walk for a bargain fee.
Besiktas step to the front
Into that stalemate steps Besiktas. According to transfer specialist Sacha Tavolieri, the Turkish club are closing in on an agreement with Núñez, offering him something he has been starved of in Saudi Arabia: a guaranteed central role and regular minutes.
The proposal on the table is a loan until the end of the season. It suits Besiktas, who gain a proven European-level striker without committing to a huge transfer fee, and it suits Al-Hilal, who avoid locking in a permanent loss on their investment.
The compromise is financial. Núñez would earn less in Istanbul than he could command in MLS, but the trade-off is clear. At 27, he wants a stage, not just a salary.
MLS waits in the wings
That is where MLS comes in. Atlanta United have already lodged an offer with Al-Hilal for the former Liverpool forward, putting a concrete American option on the table.
The money in the United States is attractive, the lifestyle even more so for many players. Yet for now, Núñez’s preference is to return to Europe. The competitive rhythm, the visibility, the sense that big nights still matter every week – those factors pull him back towards the continent he left only a year ago.
Turkey or USA. Prestige or package. At this point, Núñez appears to be leaning towards the Süper Lig.
Barcelona watch from a distance
Hovering on the horizon is Barcelona. Núñez has been offered to the Catalan club and appears on their list of potential solutions if their primary plans fall apart.
Barça’s priority remains clear: they want a top-level No. 9, and the focus is on Atletico Madrid and Argentina forward Julián Álvarez. That pursuit, though, is running into a wall. Atletico do not want to sell this summer, and every conversation hits the same resistance.
As Deco scans the market for alternatives, Núñez’s name naturally comes up. He fits the profile: experienced, hungry, and available on a deal that could be structured around a loan. Yet at this stage, a move to Camp Nou is considered unlikely. Interest has not turned into action, and there has been no real movement from Barcelona’s side.
So Núñez waits, his future narrowing to two realistic paths. A revival in Istanbul with Besiktas, or a new chapter in MLS with Atlanta United. For a striker who once seemed destined to dominate Europe’s biggest stages, the next decision will say plenty about where his career is truly heading.
