Former Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez dumped by Al-Hilal after Karim Benzema arrival

The signing of Karim Benzema from Al-Ittihad has forced Simone Inzaghi to remove a foreign player from the registration list.

Following the controversial salary-free contract renewal offer from Al-Ittihad, Karim Benzema has joined Al-Hilal. The arrival of the French striker at Simone Inzaghi's side has forced Darwin Nunez to be cut from the Saudi Pro League (SPL) registration list.

On Wednesday, Al-Hilal submitted their final squad list for the domestic league, with the Uruguayan striker making way for Benzema due to the foreign player limit. Saudi Arabia only permits eight players aged 21 or over without local nationality per match.

Al-Hilal's registered foreign players

Alongside Benzema, Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, French left-back Theo Hernandez, Senegalese centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly, midfielders Ruben Neves (Portuguese) and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (Serbian), and Brazilian striker Marcos Leonardo are registered for the remainder of the SPL season.

On the other hand, Spanish centre-back Pablo Mari, formerly of Flamengo, was also left out by the Italian manager. The expectation is that Nunez will be sold at the end of 2025-26, as he will only have opportunities to wear the Saudi shirt in Asian Champions League matches.

Darwin Nunez failed to click at Al-Hilal

Following a frustrating spell at Liverpool, the forward was signed by Al-Hilal in August 2025 for £45m (€53m). The Uruguayan signed a three-year contract hoping to rediscover his best form ahead of the World Cup.

However, Darwin Nunez's time in Saudi football has been marked by inconsistency. The Al-Hilal number 7 spent 25 days in the medical department at the start of the season due to a knee problem, which hindered his adaptation process.

When fully fit, Darwin failed to prove himself as prolific a goalscorer as expected. Just as at the Reds, the heavy investment in the Uruguayan striker did not pay off on the pitch, with missed chances amid the ups and downs.

The 26-year-old forward's inconsistency led the Saudi club to bet on the Ballon d'Or winner, who not only impresses with his performances on the pitch but is also a far bigger media attraction. Additionally, the Uruguayan fell behind Marcos Leonardo in the pecking order.

The Santos academy product almost ended up at Atletico Madrid, but the deal did not progress and the Spanish side closed a deal for Ademola Lookman from Atalanta instead. Nunez, for his part, has recently been a target for Fenerbahce and is expected to receive fresh offers when the European window reopens.