The highlight of the 2023 summer transfer window have to be the threat of the Saudi Clubs offering huge money to marquee players to sign for their teams. It all started with Ronaldo moving to Al Nassr in the January transfer window and it created a possible path for the rest of the players who are at the end of their career. In the Saudi Transfer Window there was an outlay of £784.2m accordingto Transfermarket data, which is significantly more than any top flight leagues in Europe other than the Premier League.
Many of the players have stated that Saudi Arabia, as a whole is progressing as a football nation and with Roberto Mancini's appointment as the head coach of their nation team, it was enough evidence to the fact. In this transfer window of theirs, Saudi clubs have made some huge signings, from Ballon d'Or winners to World Cup winners, they have spent a fortune on these players only for the betterment of the league.
So let's take a look at all the players who've agreed to sign for top 5 Saudi clubs in the Saudi Transfer Window.
Ittihad's French forward #09 Karim Benzema runs with the ball during the Saudi Pro League football match between Al-Ittihad and Al-Hilal at Prince Abdullah al-Faisal Stadium in Jeddah on September 1, 2023. (Photo by -/AFP via Getty Images)
1. Al Ahli
Riyad Mahrez
Roberto Firmino
Edouard Mendy
Allan Saint-Maximin
Gabri Veiga
2. Al Ettifaq
Jordan Henderson
Moussa Dembele
Demarai Grey
Georginio Wijnaldum
Jack Hendry
3. Al Hilal
Ruben Neves
Aleksandar Mitrovic
Neymar
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic
Malcom
4. Al Ittihad
N'Golo Kante
Fabinho
Karim Benzema
Jota
5. Al Nassr
Cristiano Ronaldo
Sadio Mane
Alex Telles
Aymeric Laporte
Marcelo Brozovic
Seko Fofana
87 percent of the spending was done by these five clubs. These teams are owned by the Public Investment Fund- who also own Newcastle United. Al Hilal's £302.1m net spend is more than any other club in the world.
FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Draw: Groups, Format, and Schedule
Real Madrid were drawn against Al Hilal, CF Pachuca and FC Salzburg while Lionel Messi's Inter Miami was placed in the same group with FC Porto in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Draw on Thursday. Here are all the details.
Set to take place in the United States from June 15 to July 13, 2025, the restructured global club football competition will bring together 32 teams from across the world to vie for the title of world champions.
The draw, held on Thursday, December 5, 2024, in Miami, showcased an impressive lineup of continental and domestic champions from every corner of the globe.
Among the standout contenders are Spain's Real Madrid, the UEFA Champions League winners, Brazil's Botafogo, the CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores champions, and Egypt's Al Ahly, who are consecutive CAF Champions League winners.
New Format
New FIFA Club World Cup Trophy. Image | FIFA
Traditionally featuring six to eight teams, the FIFA Club World Cup will now adopt a new format, hosting the largest number of participants in its history. Teams earned qualification by winning their respective continental club tournaments, such as the UEFA Champions League, and based on the confederations' four-year rankings.
South America (CONMEBOL) includes six teams, whereas Europe (whose confederation is UEFA) has twelve, making up the largest representation of the 32 teams.
There are four teams from North America, Central America, and the Caribbean (CONCACAF), Africa (AFC), and Asia (AFC).
Lionel Messi's Inter Miami was given a spot, as the domestic champions of the host country, Oceania (OFC) got one spot as well. The top two from each of the 8 groups will advance to the knockout stages after a round-robin group stage.
The final will take place at the iconic MetLife Stadium in New York New Jersey on 13 July.
Saudi Pro League: Foreign players in Saudi reportedly face non-payment by some clubs
According to reports, some Saudi clubs are not paying the wages of their foreign players. The players are hesitating to go on a strike or report it to FIFA.
Different clubs in Saudi Arabia, including clubs of the Saudi Pro League, are reportedly not paying the salaries of foreign players. The unnamed players are hesitating to report the non-payment issue to FIFA or to go on strike.
According to acclaimed journalist Romain Molina, Saudi Pro League clubs i.e. Al-Orobah, Al-Kholood, and Saudi second-division club Al-Safa FC are denying the payment of the foreign players. There might be other clubs as well.
Plusieurs clubs d'Arabie saoudite (Al-Oruba, Al-Kholood, Al-Safa...) accusent des retards de salaire vis-à-vis de leurs joueurs étrangers. Certains hésitent à faire grève ou porter l'affaire devant la FIFA
Several clubs in Saudi Arabia (Al-Oruba, Al-Kholood, Al-Safa, etc.) are…
Another controversy has hit the Saudi Arabian football circuit, and the tensions are about to mount. Recent times have unveiled several controversies including player security and human rights issues. There have been various controversies about Saudi Arabia winning the hosting rights of FIFA World Cup 2032 as well.
However, the clubs Molina mentioned, have some renowned players who have moved to Saudi after successful stints in other continents.
Here are the foreign players who are playing in the Saudi Pro League club Al-Orobah, Al-Kholood; and Al-Safa FC which competes in the second-tier Saudi Arabian league, called the Saudi First Division League.
Al-Orobah FC
Foreign Players
Nationality
Age
Signing Details
Cristian Tello
Spain
33
Signed in August 2024 on a free transfer from another Saudi outfit Al-Fateh.
Jóhann Berg Gudmundsson
Iceland
34
Signed in August 2024 from Burnley for an undisclosed fee.
GaëtanCoucke
Belgium
26
Signed in August 2024 on a free transfer from Belgian Pro League side KV Mechelen.
Kurt Zouma
France
30
Joined in August 2024 on loan from West Ham United.
Isamël Kandouss
Morocco
27
Joined in September 2024 on loan from KAA Gent.
Karlo Muhar
Croatia
28
Joined in August 2024 on a €1.50M transfer from Romanian side CFR Cluj.
Jean Michaël Seri
Côte d'Ivoire
33
Signed in August 2024 on a free transfer from Hull City.
Emmanuel Boateng
Ghana
28
Signed in August 2024 on a free transfer from Portuguese side Rio Ave.
Brad Young
England
21
Joined in September 2024 from Welsh side The New Saints on a transfer of €226K.
Cristiano Ronaldo's stats at Al-Nassr: Goals, Glamour But No Trophies
Since joining Al-Nassr, Cristiano Ronaldo has been shining like a star as he always does. The Portuguese continued his goalscoring show but his trophy drought with the club continues.
Cristiano Ronaldo's move to the Saudi outfit Al-Nassr FC has defined an era in the Saudi Pro League, opening doors for top footballing stars to make their way to the Saudi Pro League. Since his move to Al-Nassr FC in January 2023, Ronaldo has continued his goalscoring spree in the new atmosphere as well as monumental performances for the Saudi club.
Ronaldo has scored 73 goals and made 18 assists for Al-Nassr so far in just 83 matches! In the Saudi Pro League alone, he has scored 55 goals in just 55 matches with 15 assists by his name as well!
After Cristiano's arrival, Al-Nassr cracked a deal with NIKE to be their kit sponsor for the 2023-24 season which was the club's first major commercial deal in recent times. The Cristiano Ronaldo madness pulled another huge deal for the Riyadh-based club as they agreed on a three-year deal with ADIDAS to replace NIKE as their principal kit sponsor from 2024-25.
Cristiano Ronaldo brought both goals and glamour to Al-Nassr FC and moreover to Saudi Arabia. His arrival in Saudi made the pavement for Saudi Clubs to sign top European talents and big names to reinforce themselves.
However, the only fact that still can bother the Portuguese star is his trophy drought with Al-Nassr FC. Cristiano joined the club midway through the 2022-23 season and he scored 14 goals in 16 matches but Al-Nassr finished second in the league table that season.
The following 2023-24 was a season of close finishes for the Saudi club as they finished second in the league for the second consecutive time. Cristiano scored 35 goals to break the record for most goals scored in a single season but failed to win the league. Al-Nassr lost both the penalty shoot-outs in the AFC Champions League quarter-final against Al-Ain and in the King's Cup final against Al-Hilal SC.
Cristiano Ronaldo with the Arab Club Champions Cup.(Image Courtesy | Goal.com)
Although Cristiano Ronaldo won the Arab Club Champions Cup with Al-Nassr, the tournament was not an official tournament. The Union of Arab Football Associations (UAFA), the organizing head of the tournament, is not recognized by FIFA and the organizers also declared to consider it as a friendly tournament. Ronaldo also scored 6 goals in this campaign.
Cristiano Ronaldo: Stats for Al-Nassr
2022-23
(Image Courtesy | ESPN)
Tournament / League
Appearances
Goals
Assists
Saudi Pro League
16
14
2
King's Cup
2
-
-
Saudi Super Cup
1
-
-
Total
19
14
2
2023-24
(Image Courtesy | Goal.com)
Tournament / League
Appearances
Goals
Assists
Saudi Pro League
31
35
11
AFC Champions League
9
6
2
King's cup
4
3
-
Saudi Super Cup
1
-
-
Total
45
44
13
2024-25*
(Image Courtesy | SPL Website)
Tournament / League
Appearances
Goals
Assists
Saudi Pro League
8
6
2
AFC Champions League Elite
2
1
-
King's cup
1
-
-
Saudi Super Cup
2
2
1
Total
13
9
3
*2024-25 stats are accurate as of 2 November 2024.
Saudi Pro League: Top 5 young talents who moved to Saudi for money
Along with veteran footballers like Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, and Sadio Mane, many young talents from Europe or other continents have joined the Saudi Pro League in recent times. Here are the top five young talents who moved to Saudi for money.
Cristiano Ronaldo's move to the Al Nassr Club in the Saudi Pro Leagueof Saudi Arabia opened the door for the exodus of veteran footballers who are at the oblivion of their careers. Likes of Karim Benzema, Neymar Jr., Sadio Mane, and Roberto Firmino have set foot on Arabian soil with lucrative amounts of monetary contracts.
However, a wave of young and promising talents from Europe and other continents has begun to move to the Saudi Pro League with massive contracts on the table for them. This notion has brought many promising youngsters to play in different Saudi clubs; some of them got their break in recent times.
Rise of Saudi Pro League
The European football circuit has always been the preferred destination for young footballers who are starting their careers and they aim to play in different clubs in Europe. On the contrary, many footballers who succeeded in Europe have mostly moved to the USA's Major League Soccer or China's Chinese Super League at the ending spell of their career.
However, the Saudi Pro League's meteoric rise after the FIFA World Cup 2022 has taken the football transfer window by storm and big players in the market are splashing the cash to sign someone who is already a big name or any footballer who is in his prime or most importantly, some fresh talents who will be nurtured in the growing league in Saudi and its footballing culture.
According to a recent scoop published by Reuters on 11th July 2024:
"The Saudi Pro League is encouraging its clubs to foster homegrown talent and switch focus to wooing promising young internationals after making headlines for big-name signings for huge money, a document outlining plans for the new season said."
But the same question has arisen from time to time with criticisms from the elite footballing circuit in Europe and the other parts of the world where the footballing culture is already enriched. The concern is if the league and the clubs are as ambitious as they seem to bring players to Saudi.
Here are some players who moved to Saudi Arabia at a very young age that subsequently winded up significant criticism.
1. Gabri Veiga | Celta Vigo to Al-Ahli SC
Gabri Veiga in Saudi Pro League. (Image Courtesy | SO FOOT.com)
Spanish midfielder Gabriel Veiga's transfer to Al-Ahli SC in the Saudi Pro League at the age of 21 came as a surprise to the entire world. Gabri Veiga was promoted to the Celta Vigo senior team in 2022 and in the 2022-23 LaLiga season, he emerged as a very promising talent with 11 goals and 4 assists in 36 matches.
Despite being closely linked to the Italian side Napoli and PL Champions Manchester City, Veiga decided to continue his career in the Saudi Pro League with Celta and Al-Ahli agreeing on a 30 Million Euros transfer fee in 2023. Real Madrid legend and German midfielder Toni Kroos publicly criticized this move with a comment, "embarrassing".
Kroos put his opinion as he said that there is nothing about ambitions but only money in these moves to Saudi. He later explained and expressed his concern about young talents moving to Saudi.
"Everyone has to make that decision for themselves, like Cristiano Ronaldo, who decided to do it towards the end of his career. But it becomes very difficult when players, who are in the middle of their career and have the quality to play for the best clubs in Europe, decide to make those changes.”
(Via Sports Illustrated)
Veiga did not hold back as well after Kroos commented on this topic as he said that many top players are happy in Saudi and that he also did not scrap the idea of his possible return to Europe.
The 25-year-old Brazilian defender Roger Ibanez was one of the key players for AS Roma for more than 3 years and he has won the Europa League with Roma in the 2021-22 season. He also featured for Atalanta in the Serie A.
Ibanez was selected by Tite for the provisional squad before the 2022 World Cup and played one friendly against Ghana. However, He could not make it to the Brazil squad that took the flight to Qatar.
In August 2023, Ibanez joined the Saudi side Al-Ahli SC for 28.5 Million Euros fee on a 4-year contract. He was shortlisted by Premier League Club Nottingham Forest and they were also bidding for Ibanez, but he chose Al-Ahli. Later this transfer, He was called up by the new Brazil head coach Dorival Junior for some friendlies but he was again excluded from the Brazil squad that travelled to the USA for the Copa America 2024.
(Image Courtesy | TNT Sports)
Pundits have speculated that it would be hard for Ibanez to make it in Brazil's core squad while playing in Saudi. He moved to Saudi at such a young age that it surely affected his national career and he is overlooked not only because he is not playing in Europe but also because he is not even playing in his own country.
That is why even after showcasing a consistent display for Roma before, he is not considered for the national team scenario as of now, whereas Guilherme Arana made it to the Copa 2024 squad, and plays as a defender for a Brazilian club, Atletico Mineiro.
The most recent transfer of a player to a Saudi Club that sparked controversy was Steven Bergwijn's move to Al-Ittihad Club from Ajax. The 26-year-old Dutch forward moved to the Saudi Club in September 2024 after two 2-year stints in top-flight football respectively at Tottenham Hotspur and Ajax Amsterdam.
He was criticized by the Netherlands national team manager Ronald Koeman for moving to Saudi at the age of 26. Koeman stated:
"The book is basically closed to him. He knows what I think about this... When you are 26, your main ambition should be sporting, not financial. These are choices that players make. ...I have never been in that situation, because I could go to Barcelona. He could have stayed at Ajax, that’s not bad, is it? You have to respect that choice, but personally I wouldn’t [have moved]."
(Via The Guardian)
Koeman assured that as long as he is in charge Bergwijn will not play for the national team. Considering it was Koeman himself who gave Bergwijn his breakthrough in the national team in 2018, it is safe to say that there is a sound process that excludes Bergwijn from the national team.
🇳🇱 Bergwijn in response to the statements of the Dutch national team manager Ronald Koeman:
However, Bergwijn replied to this criticism in an interview with De Telegraaf where he stated:
"I don't even want to play under Koeman anymore, If he had been a committed national coach, he would have called me first. Now I had to hear about it on TV. I've had many beautiful moments with him, so this is far too easy and I'm disappointed with him.
"I have always considered it an honour to play for Oranje. But under this national coach, I no longer want to do that. With someone who deliberately portrays me like that in the media, I am done. But who knows if there will be a new national coach in the future.
"I myself will never close the door. And I will only support my teammates at Oranje, just as they do with me. I have only received good messages from the internationals after my transfer. Everyone is happy for me. That is how it can be."
(Via ESPN)
4. Joao Costa | AS Roma to Al-Ettifaq FC
(Image Courtesy | Goal.com)
This is a transfer where not the player but the parent club was heavily criticized for letting a 19-year-old kid end up in Saudi. Joao Costa is a Brazil-born Portuguese who earned his place in the Corinthians U-20 team in Brazil at the age of 14. In 2021, He signed for AS Roma, and Roma welcomed him for the U-17 team. This shows how talented this left-footed winger is.
In September 2023, the legendary Jose Mourinho called up this young talent for a Serie A game against Frosinone but he could not get a solid breakthrough into the senior team. Finally in September 2024, AS Roma decided to sell him to Saudi side Al-Ettifaq FC.
19 year old Joao Costa 🇵🇹 scored this fantastic goal to give Al Ettifaq the lead against Al Fateh. pic.twitter.com/b8buzejQGU
It was rumored that Costa himself was eyeing a possible move to a Portuguese or Brazilian club but Roma refused and sent him to Saudi. Roma was criticized for not sending him on loan but they made a permanent move instead which narrowed this youngster's chance to get back in the top-flight in Europe or elsewhere.
5. Ezequiel Fernández | Boca Juniors to Al Qadsiah FC
(Image Source | X)
This 22-year-old young Argentine's move to the Saudi Club Al Qadsiah was a strong message from the Saudi League officials along with the club to the footballing circuit reigning all over the world that they are not only considering the European talents or players who were nurtured in the European system.
The league intended that now they are eyeing fresh talents from all over the world and bringing them to Saudi to simultaneously upgrade and grow grassroots-level footballers who will later join any other club after an agreement with a hefty amount of money.
🚨🇸🇦 Equi Fernández to Al Qadsiah, here we go! Saudi club confirmed with formal documents they’re set to trigger $20m release clause.
Five year deal for 22 year old talented midfielder who’s leaving Boca Juniors.
Midfielder Ezequiel 'Equi' Fernandez was called up by coach Javier Mascherano for the Argentina squad that traveled to Paris for the 2024 Olympics. Javier Mascherano is the Argentina U-23 coach as well and it was Mascherano who gave Ezequiel his breakthrough in the U-23 team in 2023.
It came as a total shock in August 2024 when his move to the Saudi side was finalized. Al Qadsiah welcomed him from Argentine top-division club Boca Juniors where he had 67 appearances.
{"data":{"gallery":[],"web_story":[{"type":"image","cta_link":"","cta_text":"","title":"Inter Miami Beaten 6-0 by Al Nassr Without Cristiano Ronaldo","img_src":"post_attachments/f4a665f074af9d9234ee334764f03d27cb5a79487c97348ac7832cfb43a19d2d.webp","desc":""},{"type":"image","cta_link":"","cta_text":"","title":"","img_src":"post_attachments/f4a665f074af9d9234ee334764f03d27cb5a79487c97348ac7832cfb43a19d2d.webp","desc":"
Al-Nassr crushed Inter Miami 6-0 as injury ruled Cristiano Ronaldo out of a much-hyped showdown with Lionel Messi, who was limited to a late substitute appearance in Riyadh.
Brazilian Talisca upstaged the illustrious duo with a hattrick as the Saudi Pro League side demolished its Major League Soccer opponent, scoring three times inside the first 12 minutes.
Otavio drilled in the opening goal as Miami lost the ball trying to play out from the back. A sliding Talisca turned in Al-Nassr’s second as the visitor again paid the price for conceding possession near its own box.
Aymeric Laporte scored the goal of the night, catching Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender well off his line as he belted in a long-range free kick from deep inside his own half.
Follow Us
/sportzpoint/media/post_attachments/b37c941209e954a7e14d4d5ec4c3cb7c999b2465aaf0221c28e1ca3f18595715.jpg)
/sportzpoint/media/media_files/2024/11/02/VKKieqoTDDA7zGLvrPru.webp)
/sportzpoint/media/media_files/2024/11/02/yfTTDJHwRi1r7DtQMi3t.jpg)
/sportzpoint/media/media_files/2024/11/02/dRUcT9zPnxzQXVrtpP8d.webp)
/sportzpoint/media/media_files/2024/11/02/F7gFIgXlj4RGS1EGkeMs.webp)
/sportzpoint/media/media_files/33TOcYjMiYTj8H9uBp7l.webp)
/sportzpoint/media/media_files/4NgYEhs9FkHAEotCdOQS.jpg)
/sportzpoint/media/media_files/NzFgxlMgjkXyj452IQny.webp)
/sportzpoint/media/media_files/YemL4IP4FPbfAI20rdG5.jpg)
/sportzpoint/media/media_files/nHk8sxliSIgcF5Ppv92Q.webp)
/sportzpoint/media/media_files/LsUA1hmKkGVXEMeZfiRa.jpg)
