The summer transfer window closed its doors on Monday evening for Saudi Arabia and it is time to take stock. After spending 886 million euros in 2023, the Saudi championship has reduced its sails by investing nearly 500 million euros in the last period of the transfer market. An amount that remains substantial.
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Saudi clubs have been given new opportunities with a change in the rules: it is now possible to have 10 foreign players in each team, compared to eight previously. Promoted to the first division, Al-Qadsiah contributed to the balance sheet by spending 80 million euros in total, with Nacho as the main reinforcement even if the Spanish defender arrived on a free after the end of his contract with Real Madrid.
Al-Ittihad was the biggest spending club
Al-Ittihad put €60 million on the table to sign Moussa Diaby from Aston Villa, the most expensive transfer of the summer for Saudi clubs. The team managed by Laurent Blanc was the most expensive, with €124 million paid out, including €21 million for Steven Bergwijn and €12 million for Houssem Aouar.
Ivan Toney and Joao Cancelo also landed in Saudi Arabia, at Al-Ahli and Al-Hilal for 40 and 25 million euros respectively. The last day was eventful, with for example the signing of Danilo at Al-Ittihad. The French defender Mohamed Simakan joined Al-Nassr for 43 million euros.
However, in this 18-club championship, disparities are increasingly visible, between the clubs supported by the Saudi sovereign wealth fund (PIF) and the rest. All football clubs in the Saudi Pro League are nevertheless set to be privatized, as announced by the Saudi Ministry of Sports in July.
- RMC Sport
