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Some of the Saudi Pro League clubs have splashed their cash during this summer transfer window. When Cristiano Ronaldo moved to the Saudi Pro League last summer, it was a league that football fans worldwide did not pay much attention to.
However, we have seen troves of high-profile footballers move to Saudi Arabia this year. Some of the league's wealthiest clubs now have starting XIs that are stacked with household names.
The lure of lucrative contracts and a less competitive environment has made the Saudi Pro League a desirable destination for footballers. Without further ado, let's take a look at five of the most expensive signings in the Saudi Pro League this summer.
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#5 Aleksandar Mitrovic (Fulham to Al-Hilal) - €52.6 million
Al-Hilal are among the Saudi Pro League clubs that have invested a fortune in the transfer market this summer. They have made some of the most expensive signings this summer and the acquisition of Aleksandar Mitrovic from Fulham is a admirable one.
They signed the Serbian striker on a deal worth €52.6 million on August 19. Mitrovic is a great signing for Al Hilal as he is only 28 and is currently in his prime. He scored 14 goals and provided two assists for Fulham in 24 Premier League appearances last season.
Mitrovic is a striker who could be a decisive factor in games thanks to his finishing, physicality and aerial dominance.
#4 Ruben Neves (Wolverhampton Wanderers to Al-Hilal) - €55 million
Ruben Neves is a player who was linked with the likes of Barcelona, Arsenal and Manchester United in recent times. He has been the anchorman in Wolverhampton Wanderers' midfield and was tipped to make a move to a bigger club this summer.
However, Neves has ended up at Saudi club Al-Hilal on a deal worth €55 million. The Portuguese midfielder will go down as one of Wolves' best-ever players.
At 26, he is in his prime right now and Al-Hilal will benefit a lot from having a holding midfielder of his quality in their ranks.
#3 Otavio (Porto to Al-Nassr) - €60 million
Portuguese winger Otavio did a decent job for Porto in the 2022-23 season. He scored seven goals and provided 13 assists in 44 appearances across all competitions for the Portuguese giants last term.
As such, his move to Al-Nassr this summer on a deal worth €60 million came as a bit of a surprise. Otavio could have continued to have an impact for Porto in the Primeira Liga as well as the Champions League.
But Al-Nassr triggered his €60 million release clause and Otavio did not delay in signing a three-year deal that sees him earn around €13 million annually.
#2 Malcom (Zenit St. Petersburg to Al-Hilal) - €60 million
Malcom is likely known to most football enthusiasts due to his high-profile transfer to Barcelona for €45 million in the summer of 2018, which ultimately didn't yield the expected results. A year later, Malcom was sold to Zenit St. Petersburg in the summer of 2019 for €41.5 million.
During his four-year tenure in Russia, the Brazilian winger managed to justify his price tag. In 109 matches in all competitions for Zenit St. Petersburg, Malcom scored 42 goals and registered 24 assists.
Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Hilal signed him earlier this summer for a substantial fee of €60 million.
#1 Neymar (Paris Saint-Germain to Al-Hilal) - €90 million
Paris Saint-Germain made Neymar the most expensive player in history when they signed him for a whopping €222 million in the summer of 2017. Neymar did a great job at PSG but failed to take them to Champions League glory.
He has also been regularly plagued by injuries of late and PSG decided it was time to cash in on the legendary Brazilian this summer. Al-Hilal furnished as much as €90 million to sign Neymar from PSG.
He is expected to be a transformative signing for Al-Hilal and is the second biggest name in the league right now after Cristiano Ronaldo.
