Liverpool, Newcastle & Man Utd deals confirmed in £630m PIF splurge - every major Saudi summer transfer
The Saudi Pro League transfer window is now closed, much to the relief of many Premier League clubs.
Saudi Pro League clubs had almost a week after the English transfer window closing on September 1 to complete deals. And given the spending power of the league, it was cause for concern that some clubs could risk losing their top players.
Liverpool’s Mohammed Salah was subject to intense interest from Al Ittihad as well as Al Hilal but a deal failed to materialise. Newcastle captain Jamaal Lascelles was also reportedly targeted by Saudi side Al Shabab earlier this week.
But Thursday night confirmed the end of a historic transfer window for Saudi Arabian football, one which saw dozens of major deals completed and some of world football’s biggest names make the switch to the Gulf state.
Following Cristiano Ronaldo’s move to Al Nassr on a world record contract in January, four Saudi Pro League clubs were taken over by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund ahead of the transfer window opening this summer.
Al Hilal, Al Ittihad, Al Nassr and Al Ahli have all been given a major financial boost which has resulted in lavish spending and lucrative contracts being handed out to new signings.
Here are all the major deals completed by Saudi Pro League clubs over the summer transfer window...
Al Ittihad
Karim Benzema - free from Real Madrid
N’Golo Kante - free from Chelsea
Jota - £25m from Celtic
Fabinho - £40m from Liverpool
Luiz Felipe - £21.4m from Real Betis
Total transfer spend: £86.4m
Al Hilal
Ruben Neves - £47m from Wolverhampton Wanderers
Kalidou Koulibaly - £17m from Chelsea
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic - £34.3m from Lazio
Malcolm - £51.45m from Zenit St Petersburg
Neymar - £77m from Paris Saint-Germain
Yassine Bounou - £18m from Sevilla
Aleksandar Mitrovic - £46m from Fulham
Total transfer spend: £290.75m
Al Ahli
Edouard Mendy - £16m from Chelsea
Roberto Firmino - free from Liverpool
Riyad Mahrez - £30m from Manchester City
Allan Saint-Maximin - £23m from Newcastle United
Franck Kessie - £10.3m from Barcelona
Gabri Veiga - £34.5m from Celta Vigo
Total transfer spend: £113.8m
Al Nassr
Marcelo Brozovic - £15.4m from Inter Milan
Seko Fofana - £21.4 from Lens
Alex Telles - £3.4m from Manchester United
Sadio Mane - £24m from Bayern Munich
Otavio - £51.45m from Porto
Aymeric Laporte - £23.4m from Manchester City
Total transfer spend: £139.05m
Al Ettifaq
Jordan Henderson - £12m from Liverpool
Moussa Dembele - free from Lyon
Jack Hendry - £6.5m from Club Brugge
Gini Wijnaldum - £7.7m from Paris Saint-Germain
Demarai Gray - £8m from Everton
Total transfer spend: £34.2m
Al Shabab
Yannick Carrasco - £12.9m from Atletico Madrid
Total transfer spend: £12.9m
Saudi Pro League transfer summary
The four PIF-owned Saudi Pro League clubs spent around £630million between them during the summer transfer window. And that doesn’t include the bumper contracts being offered to players upon signing.
Only Chelsea from the Premier League spent more money than Al Hilal this summer though the Saudi side have a higher net spend than any other side over the summer at £290.75million.
Neymar is the most expensive footballer of all-time having joined PSG from Barcelona for £198million in 2017 and has now become the most expensive Saudi Pro League signing for Al Hilal at around £77million.