All the top signings for Saudi Arabian clubs in 2023 summer transfer window so far
The 2023 summer transfer window has seen big-name players such as Ruben Neves, Karim Benzema and Roberto Firmino all move to clubs in Saudia Arabia for lucrative offers – and more will follow.
Here is every high-profile player that has moved to the Saudi Pro League since their transfer window opened on July 1, and it will close on September 7.
Neymar – Al Hilal
Neymar Junior has completed his move from Paris Saint-Germain to Al Hilal. The Brazilian becomes the latest big name to head to Saudi Arabia, following the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Sadio Mane.
Age: 31
Signed from: PSG
Fee: €100m
Reported wage: £182m per year
Sadio Mane – Al Nassr
Sadio Mane has joined Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr from Bayern Munich. The ex-Liverpool forward spent only a year in the Bundesliga after leaving Anfield, and now joins up with former Man Utd forward Cristiano Ronaldo at his new club.
Age: 31
Signed from: Bayern Munich
Fee: £24m
Reported wage: £33m per year
Allan Saint-Maximin – Al Ahli
Allan Saint-Maximin will partner former Manchester City winger Riyad Mahrez and ex-Liverpool striker Roberto Firmino in Al Ahli’s frontline. Maximin scored 13 goals in 124 games and registered 21 assists for Newcastle after joining in August 2019 from Nice.
Age: 26
Signed from: Newcastle
Fee: £23m
Reported wage: unknown
Riyad Mahrez – Al Ahli
Riyad Mahrez has completed his move from Manchester City to Saudi Arabian club Al Ahli. City agreed a fee understood to be worth up to £30m with Al Ahli for the Algeria international.
Age: 32
Signed from: Man City
Fee: £30m
Reported wage: £25.6m per year
Jordan Henderson – Al Ettifaq
Jordan Henderson ended his 12-year stay at Liverpool during which he won every major trophy. Henderson will link up again with ex-Liverpool captain and former team-mate Steven Gerrard, who is manager of Al Ettifaq.
Age: 33
Signed from: Liverpool
Fee: £12m
Reported wage: £18.2m per year
Karim Benzema – Al Ittihad
Reigning Ballon D’Or winner Benzema followed his former Real Madrid team-mate, leaving the Spanish capital after his contract expired having won five Champions League titles during his stay.
Age: 35
Signed from: Real Madrid
Fee: Free transfer
Reported wage: £172m per year
Roberto Firmino – Al Ahli
The highest-scoring Brazilian in Premier League history, Firmino enjoyed a long and emotional goodbye to the Liverpool supporters, among whom he was a firm favourite after eight years at Anfield.
Age: 31
Signed from: Liverpool
Fee: Free transfer
Reported wage: £17m per year
N’Golo Kante – Al Ittihad
Like his fellow France international Benzema, Kante headed for the Gulf on a free transfer as he opted to leave Chelsea at the end of his deal, albeit with considerable concerns over his fitness.
Age: 32
Signed from: Chelsea
Fee: Free transfer
Reported wage: £86.2m per year
Edouard Mendy – Al Ahli
Mendy lost his place as first-choice goalkeeper at Chelsea having arrived at the club in 2020. He made just 10 Premier League appearances last season before opting for a move to Saudi Arabia.
Age: 31
Signed from: Chelsea
Reported fee: £16m
Reported wage: £9.4m per year
Ruben Neves – Al Hilal
Portugal international Neves had helped Wolves out of the Sky Bet Championship before enjoying five Premier League campaigns at Molineux, establishing himself as one of the highest-regarded midfielders in the division – something that earned him a reported £47m move.
Age: 26
Signed from: Wolves
Fee: £47m
Reported wage: £15.6m per year
Jota – Al Ittihad
Having hit 15 goals to help Celtic win a domestic treble, former Portugal youth international Jota clearly caught the eye of the money-men in Saudi Arabia and made the £25m move at the start of July.
Age: 24
Signed from: Celtic
Fee: £25m
Reported wage: £10m per year
Kalidou Koulibaly – Al Hilal
Having spent just a single season at Stamford Bridge, Senegal centre-back Koulibaly departed Chelsea for a fee in the region of £20m and with a team-mate and compatriot not far behind.
Age: 32
Signed from: Chelsea
Fee: £17m
Reported wage: £30m per year
Marcelo Brozovic – Al Nassr
Brozovic bowed out of Inter Milan after captaining the Serie A side in their Champions League final loss to Manchester City, the 30-year-old Croatia midfielder heading to Saudi after eight seasons and five major trophies in Italy.
Age: 30
Signed from: Inter Milan
Fee: £15m
Reported wage: £35m per year
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic – Al Hilal
Lazio’s player of the season in 2020-21 and 2021-22, Milinkovic-Savic had been touted as a midfielder who would make his mark at the highest level of European football. Now, though, he will be turning out in the Saudi Pro League after a reported £34.3m switch.
Age: 28
Signed from: Lazio
Fee: £34m
Reported wage: £17m per year
Seko Fofana – Al Nassr
The Ivory Coast International has joined Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr side, where he penned a three-year deal. Fofana moves to Saudi Arabia having helped Lens finish second in Ligue 1 behind champions Paris Saint-Germain.
Age: 28
Signed from: Lens
Fee: £21.5m
Reported wage: £12.9m per year
Malcom – Al Hilal
Following the arrivals of Koulibaly, Neves and Milinkovic-Savic, Al Hilal further bolstered their ranks with the signing of the Brazil international who topped scored in Russia as Zenit clinched the league title.
Age: 26
Signed from: Zenit St Petersburg
Fee: £51.5m
Reported wage: £18.2m per year
Moussa Dembele – Al Ettifaq
The former Celtic striker left Lyon after scoring just three goals in 2022/23 to sign a four-year deal which sees him team up with Steven Gerrard and Jordan Henderson in Saudi Arabia.
Age: 27
Signed from: Lyon
Fee: Free
Reported wage: Unknown
