The 10 most expensive transfers in Saudi Pro League history

With the Public Investment Fund (PIF) investing enormous sums of money in football to acquire some of the top players in the world, the Saudi Pro League became one of the wealthiest leagues in 2023.

Saudi Pro League
Saudi Pro League

That tactic has proven successful; in December 2022, Cristiano Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr, setting off a series of events that resulted in the loss of some of Europe’s best players. Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kante shortly followed Ronaldo to Saudi Arabia, who signed with Al-Ittihad.

The Saudi PIF, which owns Al-Nassr, Al Ahli, Al-Ittihad, and Al-Hilal, has also spent a lot of money on transfer fees, but Ronaldo, Benzema, and Kante all came to Saudi Arabia on free transfers and were rewarded with huge salaries.

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Then, after they paid €90 million to get Neymar from PSG, he joined them in Saudi Arabia when he signed a two-year contract with Al-Hilal. Neymar ended up being the most costly Saudi Pro League acquisition ever in the process.

Fabinho, Aleksandar Mitrovic, and Ruben Neves, among others, departed the Premier League for the wealth of Saudi Arabia, and they probably won’t be the last to relocate from Europe to the Middle East.

No players made it into the top ten most costly Saudi transfers list during the slow winter transfer window of January 2024.

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Neymar al-hilal
Neymar al-hilal

However, there were a lot more significant moves in the summer of 2024, including the high-profile moves of Moussa Diaby, Mohamed Simakan, Ivan Toney, Marcos Leonardo, Joao Cancelo, Angelo, and Steven Bergwijn.

Also Read: Confirmed: Argentina will play in India between Oct and Nov 2025

SportsBigNews takes you through the 10 most expensive Saudi Pro League transfers of all time.

The 10 most expensive Saudi Pro League transfers of all time

Player Clubs Fee Year
1. Neymar PSG to Al-Hilal €90m 2023
2. Jhon Duran Aston Villa to Al-Nassr €77m 2025
3. Moussa Diaby Aston Villa to Al-Ittihad €60m 2024
4. Otavio Porto to Al-Nassr €60m 2023
5. Malcom Zenit to Al-Hilal €60m 2023
6. Ruben Neves Wolves to Al-Hilal €55m 2023
7. Aleksandar Mitrovic Fulham to Al-Hilal €52.5m 2023
8. Galeno FC Porto to Al-Ahli €50m 2025
9. Fabinho Liverpool to Al-Ittihad €46.7m 2023
10. Mohamed Simakan Leipzig to Al Nassr €40m 2024

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Durlabh Sharma is a seasoned sports writer at SportsBigNews, covering a diverse range of sports including football, Formula 1, UFC, and e-sports since 2020. Known for his sharp insights and in-depth reporting, Durlabh brings a dynamic perspective to every piece he writes. From the fast-paced world of F1 to the intensity of the octagon and the ever-evolving e-sports scene, his work captures the thrill and nuance of modern sports culture.