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Liverpool are actively planning significant squad changes this summer as they prepare to defend their Premier League title, with the club expected to generate substantial funds through player sales to offset major incoming transfers.

Manager Arne Slot has already secured the signing of Jeremie Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen for £29.5 million and is pursuing a club-record deal for Florian Wirtz, which could reach €150 million including add-ons.

Reports in Germany have already claimed when Wirtz could have his medical at the AXA.

With such significant investment planned, Liverpool’s need to balance their books through strategic sales has become increasingly important.

But it seems the club has suffered a blow in trying to generate these funds.

Corriere Dello Sport has reported that Darwin Nunez has rejected an opportunity to join Al-Hilal.

The rejection comes as particularly damaging for the Saudi giants, who wanted the striker for the FIFA Club World Cup.

It is claimed Al-Hilal had made contact with Liverpool on Monday regarding the conditions of a potential deal for the Uruguayan striker, with the Saudi club being made aware of the transfer requirements.

However, despite being “open” to a Saudi Arabian move earlier in discussions, Nunez ultimately decided against the switch, preferring to remain in European football.

The 25-year-old’s preference for Spain and Italy as destinations has complicated Liverpool’s sales strategy, with Atletico Madrid emerging as one of the interested European clubs.

Liverpool had set their asking price at £70 million, the amount they rejected from Al-Nassr in January, with the expectation of receiving close to that from any PIF clubs.

As a result, Napoli are encouraged by the Uruguayan’s decision and are looking to sign Nunez as Antonio Conte seeks to strengthen his attacking options.

The Italian club views the Liverpool striker as a key target to reduce their dependency on current forward options, with Conte having specifically requested the player’s signing – according to the report.

The collapse of the Al-Hilal deal represents more than just a missed opportunity for Liverpool, as Saudi Arabian clubs typically offer premium fees that drive up transfer valuations across the market.

Without the financial muscle of Saudi interest, Liverpool may struggle to achieve their desired £70 million asking price from European clubs.

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