Summer Transfer Window 2023: Who has signed for Saudi Arabian clubs? Roberto Firmino, Karim Benzema and more

Karim Benzema, Roberto Firmino, N’Golo Kante, Ruben Neves and Jota are just some of the big names to sign for Saudi Pro League clubs this summer; the SPL transfer window opened on July 1 and closes on September 20, with more high-profile players set to join

Image: Ruben Neves, Karim Benzema and Roberto Firmino have signed for clubs in Saudi Arabia this summer

The 2023 summer transfer window has seen big-name players such as Karim Benzema, Ruben Neves and Roberto Firmino all move to clubs in Saudi 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

Image: PSG bought Neymar for a world-record £200m from Barcelona in 2017

Despite scoring 118 goals since his arrival at PSG in 2017, Neymar is not part of new head coach Luis Enrique’s plans, making his departure inevitable. He now joins former Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves, as well as Senegal captain Koulibaly, to earn six times his PSG contract in Riyadh.

Age: 31
Signed from: Paris Saint-Germain
Fee: £86.3m
Reported wage: £129.4m 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 Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo at his new club.

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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

Image: Riyad Mahrez won the Premier League four times

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

Riath Al-Samarrai of the Daily Mail and Charlotte Duncker of The Times discuss Jordan Henderson’s move to the Saudi Pro League to join 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

Cristiano Ronaldo – Al Nassr

Al Nassr’s Cristiano Ronaldo says his team is ‘excited’ to play Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Milan, before sharing his hopes for the forthcoming season

After his acrimonious departure from Manchester United, five-time Ballon D’Or winner Ronaldo headed to Saudi Arabia as a statement signing that told the footballing world the league meant business.

Age: 38
Signed from: Man Utd
Fee: Free transfer
Reported wage: £173m per year

Karim Benzema – Al Ittihad

Image: Karim Benzema has signed a three-year deal with 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

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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

N’Golo Kante has completed his move from Chelsea to Saudi Arabian side Al Ittihad after seven seasons at Stamford Bridge

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

Ruben Neves was left in tears as he said farewell to Wolves after completing the move to Saudi Pro League side 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

Alex Telles – Al Nassr

Image: Alex Telles won the Europa League with Sevilla in May

After a year-long loan to Seville last season, Manchester United parted ways with Brazil defender Alex Telles for £6m, joining the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Seko Fofana at Al Nassr.

Age: 30
Signed from: Manchester United
Fee: £6m
Reported wage: Unknown

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 20223/23 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

Jack Hendry – Al Ettifaq

The Scotland international joined Club Brugge in 2021 and went on to make 32 appearances in the Belgian Pro League. Having spent time on loan in Serie A with Cremonese last season, the opportunity to play under Steven Gerrard proved too good to turn down.

Age: 28
Signed from: Club Brugge
Fee: £6.5m
Reported wage: £15.2m per year

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