In recent years, the Saudi Arabian professional league has invited many superstars to play football in the Middle East and has offered big money.
Cristiano Ronaldo was one of the first big names to move to Saudi Arabia alongside Al Nasr in 2023, and the Portuguese icon has been garnering £178 million per season.
Some stars have declined to move to the Saudi Arabian professional league, including Lionel Messi, Bruno Fernandez and Killian Mbappe. However, Neymar, Karim Benzema and Nagoro Kante have traded some of the best clubs in Europe in Saudi Arabia.
Darwin Nunes is the latest to do so, heading from Liverpool to Al Hilal on his first transfer worth 53 million euros. But where does he rank on the list of the 10 most expensive Saudi Arabia transfers to date?
10 Most Expensive Saudian Pro League Transfers | |||
|---|---|---|---|
player | from | In | commission |
Neymar | psg | Al Hilal | 90 million euros |
John Duran | Aston Villa | al-nassr | 77 million euros |
Mateo retegui | Atalanta | Arcazia | €68.25m |
Mussa DV | Aston Villa | al-nassr | 60 million euros |
Malcolm | Zenit | Al Hilal | 60 million euros |
Otabio | FC Porto | al-nassr | 60 million euros |
Reuben is famous | Wolves | Al Hilal | 55 million euros |
Darwin Nunes | Liverpool | Al Hilal | 53 million euros |
Aleksandar Mitrovic | Flam | Al Hilal | €52.6m |
Gallen | FC Porto | Al Ali | 50 million euros |
10
Gallen
50 million euros for Al-Ahli
Brazilian winger Galeno traded FC Porto for Al-Ahli in 2025, trading worth 50 million euros.
Perhaps at the peak of his strength at the 27-year-old who traded Portugal for Saudi Arabia, Galeno scored in the final against Kawasaki Makoto, with Al Ali’s first ever AFC Champions League elite title.
9
Aleksandar Mitrovic
From 52.6 million euros to alhilal
Aleksandar Mitrovic scored goals everywhere in his career, attracting the attention of Al Hilal after eight years of appearing in the UK with Newcastle United and Fulham.
In 2023, they decided to pay Serbian strikers 52.6 million euros to the people of Craven Cottage. Mitrovich helped Alhiral win the league title in 2023/24 and in the Saudi Arabian Cup.
8
Darwin Nunes
53 million euros from Al-Hilal
Darwinnes is the 2025 Alhiral’s alternative to Mitrovich.
The former Liverpool striker hit with Anfield and missed after spending £85 million on the Reds as people at Arne Slot and Merseyside decided to decide on cash midway through a six-year deal.
7
Reuben is famous
55 million euros from Al Hilal
Al Hilal has been a major spender in recent years, spending cash on midfielder Reuben Neves in 2023.
The Portuguese midfielder went to the Saudi Arabian Pro League following his national teammate Ronaldo and paid 55 million euros to the wolves on the Premier League side.
6
Otabio
60 million euros for Al-Nassr
Another Portuguese star heading towards the Middle East in 2023 was Otabio, with Al-Nassr causing a release clause of 60 million euros on the FC Porto deal.
The winger, who played alongside Ronaldo in the offense, has made nearly 100 appearances for Al Nasr and is on a contract until 2026.
5
Malcolm
60 million euros for Al-Hilal
Malcolm spent more than 40 million euros for Barcelona in 2018, but after selling his Brazilian winger to Zenit St. Petersburg, he moved again in 2023 and joined Al-Hilal.
In the book still in 2025, Malcolm won the Saudi League title, one Saudi Cup and two Saudi Arabia Super Cups.
4
Mussa DV
60 million euros for Al-Ittihad
Despite signing Benzema, Kante, Fabinho and others in recent years, Al Ittihad’s most expensive signature is Mussa Dvi.
In 2024, it cost Aston Villa 60 million euros, and Diaby became Al Ittihad’s assist machine, scoring 16 in his first Al Ittihad season.
3
Mateo retegui
68.25 million euros to Al-Qadsiah
After finishing fourth in the Saudi Arabian League, Arcazia broke the transfer record by splashing cash and signing striker Mateo Letegi from Atalanta.
Wanting to beat Al-Hilal, Al-Ittihad, Al-Nassr and others, Retegui will join Alcazia after scoring 25 Serie A goals on 24/25.
2
John Duran
77 million euros from Al-Nassr
Like Diaby, Aston Villa sold Jhon Duran to the Saudi Arabian Pro League for Big Money, with Al-Nassr temporarily partnering with the Colombians alongside Ronaldo.
They paid the forward a club record of 77 million euros, but Duran was loaned to Turkish side Fenervas for the 2025/26 season.
1
Neymar
90 million euros from Alhiral
Topped with the charts, the most expensive Saudi Arabian professional league transfer of all time is Neymar, who spent €900 million from Paris Saint-Germain in 2023.
Unfortunately for Neymar and Al-Hilal, the Brazilian was seriously injured shortly after joining, never appeared in Saudi Arabia, and only appeared at the club seven times.
He left in 2025 after finishing his contract and returning to Santos.
Neymar’s Alhiral Statistics | |
|---|---|
game | 7 |
the goal | 1 |
assist | 3 |
I played a few minutes | 428 |
