Darwin Nunez's Saudi experiment is over in all but name. According to transfer specialist Sacha Tavolieri, the Uruguayan forward is close to agreeing a loan move to Besiktas until the end of the season — a destination that tells you everything about how his Al-Hilal spell has gone.
He arrived in Riyadh last summer for €55 million. He left without ever being the first-choice striker, because Karim Benzema was still there and still preferred. For a player of Nunez's profile, that's a year essentially wasted.
Why Besiktas, and why now
Al-Hilal aren't willing to sell at a loss, so a loan is the only viable exit route. Besiktas are offering regular starts — the one thing Nunez couldn't get in Saudi Arabia — though his wages would take a hit compared to what MLS clubs are dangling. Atlanta United have already submitted an offer, but Nunez wants Europe. That preference alone is doing a lot of the heavy lifting here.
It's a reasonable call. Coming back to European football, even in the Turkish Süper Lig, keeps him visible and match-sharp in a way that Atlanta simply doesn't. If he performs, there's a route back to a bigger stage. If he heads to MLS at 27, that conversation gets harder.
Barcelona's role: distant, not decisive
Barcelona have been linked, and yes, Nunez has been offered to the club. But Deco's actual priority is Julian Alvarez, and Atletico Madrid aren't budging. Nunez is a name on a list, not a target being chased. The gap between those two things matters.
Should the Alvarez pursuit collapse entirely, Barca might move — but by then, Nunez could already be in Istanbul. His contract runs to 2028, Al-Hilal hold the cards on any permanent deal, and Barcelona aren't paying a premium for a player who didn't start at a mid-table Saudi club.
The most likely outcome: Nunez lands at Besiktas, tries to rebuild his reputation, and Barcelona find someone else. A €55 million striker on loan in Turkey isn't a transfer story with a happy ending — it's a cautionary tale still being written.
