Darwin Nunez transfer timeline revealed as Arne Slot delivers double Liverpool injury update

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has revealed that Darwin Nunez's imminent transfer to Al-Hilal could be completed within the next few days.

The Uruguay international has endured three hit-and-miss years at Anfield and is now set to call time on his Reds career with a £46m move to the Saudi Pro League, which was agreed earlier this week.

Nunez struggled to play his way into Slot's good books last term, but he shone in pre-season for the Premier League champions, netting a hat-trick against Stoke City and also finding the back of the net against Preston North End and Athletic Bilbao.

However, with Hugo Ekitike arriving from Eintracht Frankfurt and Liverpool still in hot pursuit of Newcastle United's Alexander Isak, Nunez is now surplus to requirements at Liverpool, in spite of Diogo Jota's devastating death.

Speaking to the media ahead of Sunday's Community Shield clash with Crystal Palace, Slot confirmed that Nunez's exit was not yet complete, but the South American could complete his move away in the coming days.

Slot issues Nunez Liverpool exit latest amid Al-Hilal talk

"At this moment in time, Darwin [Nunez] might indeed leave, but things are not signed yet," Slot said. "You need to wait maybe a few days before that is completely done. But there is indeed a chance he is going to leave."

With Nunez's exit to Al-Hilal imminent, the former Benfica man will not be involved in Sunday's curtain-raiser with Palace at Wembley, where Ekitike is expected to make his first competitive start for the Reds.

Fellow new signings Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez could also lift their first honour in a Liverpool kit, while Alexis Mac Allister will be involved as he builds up his fitness following an end-of-season injury.

However, Slot has ruled out the prospect of the Argentine completing the full match, adding: "He will be in the squad. He was out for two months I think, or longer because we didn’t play him in the last four games of the season. He trained with us since a week now, played 30 minutes, 45 minutes.

“So that’s not a situation where you would start a player [and] play him for 90 minutes. Starting is possible but definitely not for 90 minutes."

Slot responds to Liverpool centre-back question after Joe Gomez injury

The Dutchman also confirmed that Joe Gomez would miss out with the Achilles injury he sustained on the Reds' pre-season tour, meaning that Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Rhys Williams are Liverpool's only fit centre-back options.

The latter two may very well not be at Liverpool in 2026, but Slot downplayed his side's need to bring in a new centre-half after a reporter mentioned Andy Robertson, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch as emergency options in that position.

"What you just said, they [Ryan Gravenberch, Andy Robertson and Wataru Endo] can definitely play there as well," Slot added. "We still have numerous options that can play there.

"But what I always say, it's the same boring answer as with players that we might bring in or not, I'm really happy with the players we are having and we have numerous players that can play in that position."

Liverpool will endeavour to win the Community Shield for the 17th time on Sunday, which would see them draw level with Arsenal in joint second place in the all-time charts, only behind Manchester United's 21 victories.