Darwin Nunez might have to adhere to the strict Saudi regulations that Cristiano Ronaldo was allowed to bypass with ‘special permission.’

Darwin Nunez might have to comply with strict regulations if he joins Saudi Pro League club Al Hilal, unlike Cristiano Ronaldo, who reportedly received ‘special permission’ to bypass such rules.

According to The Athletic, Al Hilal have reached a verbal agreement to sign Nunez from Liverpool for around €53 million (£46.2 million) plus add-ons. The 28-year-old striker is interested in the move after talks with Simone Inzaghi’s team.

Liverpool seem set to take a loss on Nunez, who they signed from Benfica in the summer of 2022 for an initial £64 million. Although his signing was considered a smart investment given his impressive record in Portugal, Nunez struggled to adapt to the Premier League despite scoring 34 goals in a season.

He told Sky Sports, “It’s a very big change. The league here is stronger and more competitive. I didn’t expect it to be this tough.”

Earlier this year, Liverpool reportedly rejected a £70 million offer from Al Hilal in January, but the Saudi club now appears close to finalizing the transfer for their top target after months of speculation.

If Nunez moves to Saudi Arabia, he may have to follow strict local laws. Cristiano Ronaldo, who signed a lucrative deal with Al Nassr earlier this year worth £488,000 per day, was allowed to live with his girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez despite Saudi Arabia’s laws prohibiting unmarried couples from cohabiting.

Two Saudi lawyers told Spanish news agency EFE in 2023 that authorities tend to overlook such living arrangements for foreigners, intervening only in cases involving crimes or issues.

One anonymous lawyer said, “Although cohabitation without a marriage contract is technically illegal, authorities have recently started to look the other way and rarely prosecute.”

Another lawyer added, “Nowadays, Saudi authorities generally do not interfere with this issue for expatriates, even though the law prohibits it.”

It remains uncertain whether Nunez would receive similar permission to live with his long-term partner Lorena Manas, with whom he recently had their second child in February.