Darwin Núñez’s immediate future has been resolved after weeks of transfer speculation. Although reports initially linked the Al Hilal striker with a loan move to Beşiktaş, his confirmed destination for the 2026/27 season is Saudi club Diriyah.
Al Hilal announced in August 2026 that Núñez would join Diriyah on loan until the end of the season. The move keeps the Uruguay international under contract with Al Hilal while giving him the opportunity to play elsewhere during the current campaign.
Beşiktaş interest remained at the report stage
Early reports suggested that Beşiktaş were discussing a temporary deal for Núñez. Some accounts went further by referring to a preliminary agreement and possible arrangements concerning his salary.
However, neither Beşiktaş nor Al Hilal announced a completed transfer between the two clubs. Those details should therefore be treated as transfer reporting from that period rather than the final outcome of the negotiations.
The confirmed move to Diriyah supersedes the earlier Beşiktaş story.
Al Hilal confirms the Diriyah loan
In its official announcement of Darwin Núñez’s loan, Al Hilal stated that the forward would represent Diriyah until the end of the 2026/27 season.
The announcement confirmed the destination and duration of the loan but did not disclose a fee, wage arrangement or permanent purchase clause. Figures previously associated with the proposed Beşiktaş deal should not be presented as terms of the completed Diriyah move.
Because this is a loan rather than a permanent transfer, Núñez remains an Al Hilal player unless the clubs announce a subsequent agreement.
A temporary change after one season with Al Hilal
Núñez joined Al Hilal from Liverpool in August 2025. His move to Saudi Arabia followed three seasons in England, where he played across domestic and European competitions.
The Diriyah arrangement comes approximately one year after his arrival at Al Hilal. Rather than confirming a permanent departure, it provides a temporary solution covering the remainder of the 2026/27 season.
Al Hilal’s attacking options also changed later in August when the club and Karim Benzema agreed to terminate their contract. These were separate decisions, and neither club has publicly stated that one directly caused the other.
What happened to the proposed Beşiktaş move?
The Beşiktaş negotiations did not result in an announced transfer. Transfer discussions can change because of squad planning, registration considerations, contractual terms or a player’s available options, but no official statement has explained why this particular proposal failed to progress.
It would therefore be speculative to assign a specific reason. The verifiable position is that Núñez joined Diriyah on loan and is scheduled to return to Al Hilal after the 2026/27 season unless a new agreement is announced.