Darwin Nunez loan sparks €10m dispute over Al Hilal wage payments

Reports about Darwin Nunez’s loan move from Al Hilal to Diriyah have triggered a major debate over who is responsible for the Uruguay striker’s wages.

Figures circulated in recent hours claim Al Hilal will continue to pay about €10m of Nunez’s annual salary while he is with Diriyah. Under that version of the agreement, Diriyah would cover only €5m, with the player’s total yearly salary understood to be €15m.

Those numbers have prompted widespread discussion among supporters, particularly because they would leave Al Hilal paying the larger share of the wages of a player who has moved to another club on loan.

The reported arrangement has also raised questions about the financial value of the deal, at a time when clubs are seeking to manage their squads and budgets more efficiently. If accurate, Al Hilal would be taking on a substantial financial commitment despite Nunez spending the loan period away from the club.

However, a contrasting account has now emerged in Saudi newspaper Al Yaum, which reported that Al Hilal will not pay any part of Nunez’s wages during his time at Diriyah.

According to the newspaper, claims that Al Hilal had agreed to contribute €10m to the striker’s salary do not reflect the terms of the agreement. Instead, Diriyah would be responsible for Nunez’s wages for the duration of the loan, with Al Hilal facing no additional financial burden in that respect.

The conflicting reports mean the precise financial structure of the loan remains unclear. One version says Al Hilal will pay €10m of Nunez’s annual salary, while the other rejects that claim entirely and places responsibility for the player’s wages with Diriyah.

The final details are therefore expected to depend on the official contract and the agreement reached between the clubs. Until those terms are confirmed, the debate over the €10m figure is likely to continue.

Nunez’s move has consequently become more than a straightforward transfer from Al Hilal to Diriyah. The central issue is now the real cost of the loan and which club will pay the player, with supporters waiting for a definitive account of the arrangement.

The dispute has attracted particular attention because of the size of the figures involved. A €10m contribution would represent a significant commitment from Al Hilal, while the alternative report would mean Diriyah has taken full responsibility for a player earning €15m a year.

For now, neither version has been established as the definitive financial account in the reports available. The contrasting claims have left the key question unresolved: whether Al Hilal will contribute to Nunez’s wages or whether Diriyah will meet the full cost of the striker’s salary during the loan.