Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr have acquired the signing of Jhon Duran, the 21-year-old Colombian striker from Aston Villa.

Duran, who has scored 10 goals for Aston Villa across the Premier League and UCL this season, has signed a gigantic five-year contract with the Cristiano Ronaldo-led club.

The Colombian youngster is the latest inclusion to follow the footsteps of former Premier League footballers who left the top division of English football to explore new opportunities in Saudi Arabia.

In this article, Sportz Point assesses every Premier League player who went to play for various Saudi Pro League clubs.

1. N'Golo Kante - Chelsea to Al-Ittihad (2023)

Every Premier League player who went to play for Saudi Pro League clubs-sportzpoint.com

N'Golo Kante is the foremost renowned footballer who left the Premier League to join the Saudi Pro League, bringing a revolution in the business for Saudi Pro League clubs.

The French World Cup winner and always a fan-favourite, left Chelsea in July 2023 to join Al-Ittihad on a free transfer. Kante received a 3-year contract at the Saudi club, where he reportedly earns a whopping €100 million per year.

The 33-year-old midfielder is currently playing for Al-Ittihad, and his contract runs until June 2026.

Read Also | N'Golo Kante has left the Premier League : End of an Era

2. Kalidou Koulibaly - Chelsea to Al-Hilal (2023)

Every Premier League player who went to play for Saudi Pro League clubs-sportzpoint.com

In July 2023, Kalidou Koulibaly signed for the current Saudi Champions Al-Hilal for an undisclosed fee, reportedly worth €23 million. The Senegal international spent only one year in Chelsea, where he joined in 2022 from the Italian side Napoli.

The 33-year-old defender is currently donning the Al-Hilal shirt, where he is on a contract until June 2026.

3. Edouard Mendy - Chelsea to Al-Ahli (2023)

Every Premier League player who went to play for Saudi Pro League clubs-sportzpoint.com

Edouard Mendy will always be a legend for Chelsea fans for his towering performance as the goalkeeper in Chelsea's UCL-winning campaign in 2020-21.

However, in a shocking move in July 2023, the Senegal international joined Al-Ahli for a reported fee of €19 million. The 32-year-old goalkeeper is on a three-year contract with Al-Ahli, expiring in June 2026.

4. Demarai Gray - Everton to Al-Ettifaq (2023)

Every Premier League player who went to play for Saudi Pro League clubs-sportzpoint.com

Demarai Gray signed for Al-Ettifaq on the deadline day of the transfer window in Saudi Arabia, on September 7th, 2023.

The former Everton man also played for Leicester City and Bayer Leverkusen before his two-year stint at Everton.

However, the Jamaican international penned down a four-year contract with the Saudi outfit, keeping him at the club until June of 2027.

5. Aleksandar Mitrovic - Fulham to Al-Hilal (2023)

Every Premier League player who went to play for Saudi Pro League clubs-sportzpoint.com

Aleksandar Mitrovic has proved himself as arguably the best overseas signing the Saudi Pro League has made since the door opened in 2023. The Serbian forward signed for Al-Hilal in August 2023. He left Fulham, where he had a dream season in 2022-23, scoring 14 goals in just 24 PL appearances.

However, Al-Hilal paid a reported fee of €52 million to sign Mitrovic from Fulham. Since arriving in Saudi, the 30-year-old striker has netted 60 goals and provided 11 assists in 67 appearances for Al-Hilal, leading the club to the Saudi Arabian League title in 2023-24 and various other accolades.

6. Ezgjan Alioski - Leeds to Al-Ahli (2021)

Every Premier League player who went to play for Saudi Pro League clubs-sportzpoint.com

Although Kante is the PL footballer who had drawn significant attention from Saudi Clubs, it was Ezgjan Alioski who first joined Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli in 2021, leaving Leeds United on a free transfer.

However, the Macedonian left-back was loaned to Fenerbahce only after a year, and he spent a one-year loan stint at the Turkish side before permanently returning to Al-Ahli in June 2023. Alioski is in the last year of his contract, as the agreement expires in June 2025.

7. Fabinho - Liverpool to Al-Ittihad (2023)

Every Premier League player who went to play for Saudi Pro League clubs-sportzpoint.com

Fabinho joined Al-Ittihad in July 2023 for a transfer fee of almost €47 million, leaving his former club Liverpool.

The former Liverpool captain spent a long 5-year spell at Liverpool, winning almost everything with the Merseyside club. The Brazilian defensive midfielder is currently on a three-year contract with Al-Ittihad, binding him to the club until June 2026.

8. Roberto Firmino - Liverpool to Al-Ahli (2023)

Every Premier League player who went to play for Saudi Pro League clubs-sportzpoint.com

Roberto Firmino, another cult hero of Liverpool, left the club in July 2023 to sign for Al-Ahli Saudi on a free transfer after his contract expired at the end of the 2022-23 season.

Firmino played for Liverpool from 2015 to 2023, making him a legend for the Premier League club, where he won almost everything, scoring 111 goals in 362 games.

The 33-year-old Brazilian is on a three-year deal with the Saudi club, expiring on June 2026.

9. Jordan Henderson - Liverpool to Al-Ettifaq (2023)

Every Premier League player who went to play for Saudi Pro League clubs-sportzpoint.com — (Image Credit | Getty Images)

The case of Jordan Henderson is a unique instance, as he spent only 6 months in Saudi. The former Liverpool skipper moved to Al-Ettifaq after a €14 million transfer in July 2023, penning a three-year deal with the Saudi side.

However, things did not go well with the England international as he failed to adjust to the Saudi Arabian climate and also had family reasons. Henderson left Al-Ettifaq in January 2024 as he returned to Europe to play for Ajax Amsterdam.

Henderson currently captains the Dutch side, where his contract runs until June 2026.

10. Aymeric Laporte - Man City to Al-Nassr (2023)

Every Premier League player who went to play for Saudi Pro League clubs-sportzpoint.com — (Image Credit | ESPN)

Aymeric Laporte left Manchester City to join Al-Nassr in July 2023 after the Saudi side paid almost €28 million in transfer fees.

The dynamic Spanish center-back was handed a three-year contract with the Saudi club, which runs until June 2026. Although he has not moved to any other club, he has recently been linked to a move to the Spanish giants, Real Madrid.

11. Riyad Mahrez - Man City to Al-Ahli (2023)

Every Premier League player who went to play for Saudi Pro League clubs-sportzpoint.com

Riyad Mahrez has always been a silent cornerstone for Manchester City's success in recent years under Pep Guardiola. Mahrez also played a significant part in the iconic Premier League-winning campaign of Leicester City in 2016.

However, the Algerian left City in July 2023 on a €35 million transfer to join Al-Ahli in the Saudi Pro League. The 33-year-old winger was handed a four-year contract that runs until June 2027.

12. Alex Telles - Man United to Al-Nassr (2023)

Every Premier League player who went to play for Saudi Pro League clubs-sportzpoint.com

Alex Telles joined his national teammate Cristiano Ronaldo at Al-Nassr after joining the Saudi side on a €4.6 million transfer. Telles left Manchester United to start anew in the Middle East.

However, his stint at Al-Nassr was full of obstacles, as only after a year, the Portuguese full-back terminated his contract by mutual agreement and joined the Brazilian side Botafogo on a free transfer in September 2024.

13. Allan Saint-Maximin - Newcastle to Al-Ahli (2023)

Every Premier League player who went to play for Saudi Pro League clubs-sportzpoint.com

Allan Saint-Maximin emerged as one of the best forwards in the Premier League, before making a shocking move to Al-Ahli from Newcastle United for a transfer fee worth almost €28 million.

However, Maximin is now playing for Fenerbahce after being loaned out in July 2024, although he has a contract with Al-Ahli until June 2026.

14. Ruben Neves - Wolves to Al-Hilal (2023)

Every Premier League player who went to play for Saudi Pro League clubs-sportzpoint.com

Ruben Neves etched his name in the history of Wolverhampton Wanderers; playing for the English side for almost seven years.

The Portuguese defensive midfielder left his beloved Wolves to join Al-Hilal in July 2023 on a huge €55 million transfer. Neves is contracted with Al-Hilal until June 2026.

15. Moussa Diaby - Aston Villa to Al-Ittihad (2024)

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Moussa Diaby proved himself as one of the best emerging talents in world football but he unexpectedly signed for Al-Ittihad in July 2024, leaving Aston Villa on a huge €60 million transfer.

The 25-year-old French midfielder also played for renowned European clubs such as Paris Saint-Germain and a significant four-year spell at Bayer Leverkusen.

16. Ivan Toney - Brentford to Al-Ahli (2024)

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Ivan Toney entered the England national team following his masterful performance with Brentford in the Premier League. However, he left the English side in August 2024, as Al-ahli paid a transfer fee of €42 million for the English forward.

The 28-year-old forward is currently playing for Al-Ahli where he is on a mega contract that runs until June 2028.

17. Johann Berg Gudmundsson - Burnley to Al-Orobah (2024)

Every Premier League player who went to play for Saudi Pro League clubs-sportzpoint.com

Johann Berg Gudmundsson played an integral part in Burnley's promotion to the Premier League for the 2023-24 season. However, the Iceland international moved to Al-Orobah in August 2024 for an undisclosed fee.

The 34-year-old winger is in the last year of his contract with Al-Orobah as it ends in June 2025.

18. Marek Rodak - Fulham to Al-Ettifaq (2024)

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Marek Rodak, the Slovak international, left Fulham to join Al-Ettifaq on a free transfer in August 2024.

The 28-year-old goalkeeper is on a contract until June 2027.

19. Joao Cancelo - Man City to Al-Hilal (2024)

Every Premier League player who went to play for Saudi Pro League clubs-sportzpoint.com

Joao Cancelo spent a tumultuous year in 2023, as he spent two different loan spells in Bayern Munich and FC Barcelona. However, Barcelona failed to trigger his release clause in August 2024 as Manchester City sold the Portuguese international to Al-Hilal on a modest €25 million transfer.

The 30-year-old fullback signed a three-year contract that runs until June 2027.

20. Kurt Zouma - West Ham to Al-Orobah (2024)

Every Premier League player who went to play for Saudi Pro League clubs-sportzpoint.com

Kurt Zouma left West Ham United in August 2024 after spending almost three years at the English side, as he was loaned to Al-Orobah for a year. The French defender's loan ends in June 2025.

21. Jhon Duran - Aston Villa to Al-Nassr (2025)

Every Premier League player who went to play for Saudi Pro League clubs-sportzpoint.com — (Image Credit | Sportbible)

Jhon Duran is the latest Premier League footballer to leave top-tier English football to join Saudi Pro League.

Al-Nassr has signed the Colombian youngster from Aston Villa for a huge €77 transfer fee including the add-ons. The 21-year-old striker, who signed a mega five-year contract, will stay at Al-Nassr until June 2030.

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