Liverpool, Newcastle & Man Utd deals confirmed in £630m PIF splurge - every major Saudi summer transfer

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.