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The Saudi Pro League emerged as the richest league in football in 2023, with the Public Investment Fund (PIF) pumping astronomical money into the sport in order to sign some of the world’s best players.
Cristiano Ronaldo kickstarted a mass exodus of stars leaving Europe for the Middle East and while Saudi Arabia’s immense spending has slowed down in recent years, they have still been responsible for a number of the largest transfers in football history.
Below, FootballTransfers runs through the 10 most expensive Saudi Pro League transfers of all time.
10. Ollie Watkins – €58.4m (Aston Villa to Al-Hilal, 2026)
Ollie Watkins was heavily linked with both Arsenal and Manchester United during his time at Aston Villa, but he opted to move to Saudi Arabia in 2026 after receiving a lucrative offer from Al-Hilal.
The England striker spent six years at Villa Park before his departure, scoring 108 goals in 278 games, and he played a pivotal role as they won the Europa League during his final season at the club.
Watkins was signed by Al-Hilal as a replacement for Karim Benzema, who officially left the club as a free agent one day after the Englishman’s arrival.
9. Malcom – €60m (Zenit to Al-Hilal, 2023)
Malcom is best known for his failed transfer to Barcelona, which lasted just 12 months and saw him score only four goals in 24 appearances.
Remarkably, Barcelona turned a €500k profit on the Brazil winger when they sold him to Zenit one year after purchasing him, with Malcom enjoying a prolific stint in Russia.
He bagged 42 goals for the club in just over 100 appearances before Al-Hilal made him the most expensive Saudi Pro League player ever at the time of his move. He spent three years at the club before joining Al-Jazira on a free transfer in 2026.
8. Otavio – €60m (Porto to Al-Nassr, 2023)
Portugal international Otavio spent seven seasons at Porto before moving to Al-Nassr in late August 2023.
The midfielder developed into a fine player in the Primeira Liga, hitting double digits for assists in his final four campaigns at Porto. But, like many other stars from across Europe, he decided that the Saudi Pro League offered the right challenge (or finances) for the next stage of his career.
He teamed up with compatriot Cristiano Ronaldo, as well as Sadio Mane, at Al-Nassr.
7. Moussa Diaby – €60m (Aston Villa to Al-Ittihad, 2024)
Moussa Diaby became Al-Ittihad’s most expensive transfer of all time when he joined the club from Aston Villa for €60m in 2024.
Diaby had only signed for Aston Villa a year earlier, and he played an important role in the team qualifying for the Champions League for the first time in over 40 years. However, financial factors forced them to cash in on the French attacker.
After two years, 73 appearances and 11 goals, Diaby left Al-Ittihad in 2026 to rejoin former club Bayer Leverkusen.
6. Tijjani Reijnders – €61m (Man City to Al-Qadsiah, 2026)
After a sublime debut against Wolves, Tijjani Reijnders was expected to play a pivotal role for Man City under Pep Guardiola, but he soon lost his place to Rayan Cherki and he was subjected to minimal game time during the second-half of his only season at the club.
The Dutchman was subsequently linked with a host of clubs when the 2026 summer window opened and Man City were keen to finalise a sale in order to free up funds to sign Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez.
Al-Qadsiah soon swooped with a successful €61m bid, and Reijnders was eager to complete the move in order to secure generational wealth for his family.
5. Mateo Retegui – €61.8m (Atalanta to Al-Qadsiah, 2025)
Argentina-born striker Mateo Retegui became a sensation in Italy when he started receiving call-ups to the Azzurri while still playing his club football in Argentina. He moved to Genoa in 2023 and then to Atalanta the following year.
After a prolific season with La Dea, Al-Qadsiah shocked Serie A when they made Retegui the most expensive Italian player ever by shelling out €61.8m to acquire his services.
It was a major statement of intent from a club not owned by the PIF and he repaid that faith by scoring 19 goals during his debut season.
4. Crysencio Summerville – €64.5m (West Ham to Al-Hilal, 2026)
Crysencio Summerville was one of the most sought-after players in world football during the 2026 summer transfer window following an eye-catching final season at West Ham United.
The Dutchman was unable to prevent West Ham from suffering a relegation back down to the Championship, but his form in 2025-26, and at the World Cup, led to substantial transfer interest from the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United and Roma.
However, it was Al-Hilal who won the race for his signature after finalising a €64.5m deal with West Ham.
3. Gabriel Martinelli – €70m (Arsenal to Al-Hilal, 2026)
Al-Hilal completed their new-look front three with the signing of Arsenal forward Gabriel Martinelli for €70m, with the Brazilian joining the aforementioned Watkins and Summerville in their attack.
Martinelli became the third-most expensive signing in Saudi Pro League history upon the completion of his move away from Arsenal, with the Gunners open to a sale as they looked to raise funds following the high-profile signing of Bruno Guimaraes.
Martinelli scored 62 goals in 278 games for Arsenal before his exit, and he helped the club win their first Premier League title in over 20 years during his final season with the north London giants.
2. Jhon Duran – €77m (Aston Villa to Al-Nassr, 2025)
Jhon Duran was the Saudi Pro League’s most expensive signing of the 2025 January window after leaving Aston Villa for an initial fee of €77m.
The Colombian had been prolific for Villa, scoring seven times in the first half of the season, but he was unable to usurp the aforementioned Watkins for a place in Unai Emery’s preferred XI, starting just four times in the Premier League.
Despite interest from a number of top European sides, Al-Nassr met Villa’s asking price and signed the Colombian youngster late in the January window. The move was a disaster, however. He was loaned to Fenerbahce after six months, then to Zenit and then to Benfica.
1. Neymar – €90m (PSG to Al-Hilal, 2023)
The Saudi transfer record was obliterated by Neymar when Al-Hilal spent €90m to lure him away from PSG in mid-August 2023.
After a joyous period at Barcelona, Neymar endured an injury-hit career in France, and ultimately failed to win the Champions League or the Ballon d’Or – his two targets upon arriving at the Parc des Princes in a world-record €222m move.
His move meant that at that time Al-Hilal had signed four of the five most expensive players in Saudi Pro League history. Unfortunately for Neymar and Al-Hilal, he suffered a serious injury soon after joining and never really recovered. He returned to boyhood club Santos in early 2025.
The 10 most expensive Saudi Pro League signings of all time
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