Every world star that joined the Saudi Pro League in summer 2024: Diaby, Toney, Smalling…

Clubs in the Saudi Pro League were spending heavily again in 2024 after the country’s emergence as a major financial force in football the previous year.

Following Cristiano Ronaldo’s decision to sign for Al-Nassr in early 2023 following his release from Manchester United, a plethora of high-profile players also moved to the Saudi Pro League last year.

And this year there were some more big names who moved to the Middle East, where lucrative wages were often on offer.

Here, TEAMtalk breaks down which international players moved to the Saudi Pro League from clubs in different countries before their summer transfer window closed on September 2.

Al-Ittihad

The club responsible for the biggest signing in the Saudi Pro League this summer was Al-Ittihad, who managed to prise Moussa Diaby away from Aston Villa after just one season in the Premier League for the French winger.

They also strengthened their ranks by signing former Tottenham forward Steven Bergwijn from Ajax on deadline day (prompting Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman to claim his international career is over), when they also signed defensive midfielder Danilo Pereira from PSG.

Earlier in the summer, they had strengthened their midfield by buying Houssem Aouar from Roma, while 35-cap Serbia goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic joined from Mallorca.

Al-Ittihad also acquired Venezuelan midfielder Bryant Ortega, but immediately loaned him to Jeddah SC in the Saudi second tier.

Champions of Saudi Arabia in 2023 but only able to finish fifth last season, Al-Ittihad will hope the appointment of Laurent Blanc and their work in the transfer market aids their ambitions to get back towards Asian Champions League territory.

GO FURTHER – The 10 most expensive transfers in the summer 2024 window: Diaby fifth

Al-Nassr

Ronaldo remains the focal point at Al-Nassr, of course, but after finishing as runners-up last season, they have supplemented their squad further this summer.

On deadline day alone, they signed RB Leipzig defender Mohamed Simakan and Chelsea winger Angelo Gabriel, giving the Blues a profit on the latter despite him never making a Premier League appearance.

Angelo is not the only young Brazilian forward to have joined Al-Nassr, since he followed former Corinthians prospect Wesley to the club.

And in goal, another Brazilian recruit – despite the player having suitors in Europe – was Bento from Athletico Paranaense.

Al-Ahli

Signing a striker was the main focus for Al-Ahli this summer, so they made bids for Napoli’s Victor Osimhen and Brentford’s Ivan Toney.

Ultimately, Toney was the player they bought, while Osimhen had to go to Galatasaray in the Turkish Super Lig instead.

Toney was into the final year of his contract at Brentford and became their record sale.

The only other international player added to the Al-Ahli ranks this summer was former Fluminense midfielder Alexsander, who was part of the Brazil U23 side that failed to qualify for the Olympics.

Al-Hilal

The reigning champions of the Saudi Pro League made history at the start of September by completing the biggest internal transfer in the division’s history, taking left-back Moteb Al-Harmi from Al-Shabab for nearly €29m.

But they also strengthened with a couple of foreign recruits, most notably the versatile defender Joao Cancelo from Manchester City after his loan spells at Bayern Munich and Barcelona.

On deadline day, they also invested €40m in Brazilian striker Marcos Leonardo from Benfica.

Al-Qadsiah

The most prominent of the clubs that earned promotion to compete in the Saudi Pro League this season, Al-Qadsiah have been on a mission over the summer.

They have picked up former Real Madrid captain Nacho Fernandez, ex-Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang after his spell with Marseille, and Argentine midfield starlet Ezequiel Fernandez from Boca Juniors.

Versatile Uruguay midfielder Nahitan Nandez joined after five years with Cagliari (as well as his compatriot defender Gaston Alvarez from Getafe), experienced Belgium international goalkeeper Koen Casteels joined from Wolfsburg, and Colombian-born Mexico forward Julian Quinones joined from Club America.

There were also three Spanish recruits for Michel’s men: attacking midfielder Cameron Puertas from Union SG, winger Iker Almena from Girona, and midfielder Carlos Jimenez (who will spend the season on loan with Villarreal’s B team) from Levante.

Al-Ettifaq

Steven Gerrard’s side snapped up long-serving Fulham goalkeeper Marek Rodak after his contract at Craven Cottage came to an end this summer.

On deadline day, they also bought Portuguese winger Joao Costa from Roma.

Al-Orobah

Recently promoted to the Saudi Pro League for the first time in 10 years, Al-Orobah have made a name for themselves by signing a handful of players from Premier League or Championship clubs.

Among their more notable additions have been French defender Kurt Zouma, who was West Ham’s captain, Ivorian midfielder Jean-Michael Seri after his spell with Hull City, and Icelandic winger Johann Berg Gudmundsson, who left Burnley.

Their other international signings include English forward Brad Young from Welsh champions The New Saints, Ghana striker Emmanuel Boateng from Rio Ave in Portugal, Belgian goalkeeper Gaetan Coucke from Mechelen, Croatian midfielder Karlo Muhar from CFR Cluj and Morocco defender Ismael Kandouss, whom they have taken on loan from Gent.

Al-Shabab

Riyadh’s first football club, Al-Shabab have signed former Watford defender Wesley Hoedt, former Fiorentina midfielder Giacomo Bonaventura and Brazilian defender Robert Renan on loan with an option to buy from Zenit St. Petersburg.

They also beat the deadline to take Daniel Podence from Wolves after the one-cap Portugal forward’s loan spell at Olympiacos.

Al-Fayha

Former England international Chris Smalling completed a deadline-day move from Roma to Al-Fayha, who finished mid-table in the Saudi Pro League last season.

Their other new recruits include Uzbekistan midfielder Otabek Shukurov from Kayserispor, Spanish ex-Swansea midfielder Alejandro Pozuelo from UAE side Al Jazira, Uruguayan forward Renzo Lopez from Independiente, Panama international goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera from Maccabi Tel Aviv, and Venezuelan midfielder Aldry Contreras on loan from Angostura.

Al-Kholood

Following their promotion to the Saudi Pro League, Al-Kholood have welcomed William Troost-Ekong, the Nigerian former Watford defender, from PAOK.

They have also bolstered their defence with Slovakia international Norbert Gyomber, formerly of Roma but most recently with Salernitana.

In midfield, they have added Frenchman Kevin N’Doram from Metz and Mali’s Aliou Dieng from Egyptian outfit Al Ahly, as well as their new number 10, Alex Collado, on loan from Real Betis (but he was already on loan in the Saudi Pro League with Al-Okhdood last season).

Up front, they have loaned in DR Congo’s Jackson Muleka from Besiktas with an option to buy, and former Hibernian frontman Myziane Maolida has joined from Hertha Berlin.

Al-Wehda

Long-standing Mecca-based outfit Al-Wehda have a new number 10 in town after Curacao international Juninho Bacuna joined from Birmingham City.

They have also signed Uruguayan goalkeeper Ignacio de Arruabarrena from Arouca, Romania international midfielder Alexandru Cretu from Universitatea Craiova, German-born Iraq midfielder Youssef Amyn from Eintracht Braunschweig and Moroccan midfielder Mohamed Al Makahasi from Raja CA in his homeland.

Al-Okhdood

After avoiding relegation by a point last season, Al-Okhdood have brought in reinforcements such as Jamaica defender Damion Lowe from Philadelphia Union, Mali forward Ibrahima Kone on loan from Almeria, Cameroon winger Christian Bassogog – the best player at the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations – from Ankaragucu and Brazilian full-back Diego Ferreira from Pombal, while also making a loan move for Colombian midfielder Sebastian Pedroza from Santa Fe permanent.

Al-Riyadh

Promoted to the Saudi Pro League in 2023 and then avoiding relegation, Al-Riyadh have signed Canada goalkeeper Milan Borjan from Red Star Belgrade, Burkina Faso forward Mohamed Konate from Akhmat Grozny, former Brentford and QPR defender Yoann Barbet from Bordeaux in his native France, Brazilian midfielder Lucas Kal from Atletico Goianiense and Iraq midfielder Ibrahim Bayesh from Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya in his native country.

Al-Khaleej

Two Greek signings have arrived at Al-Khaleej: 56-cap midfielder Konstantinos Fortounis from Olympiacos and 40-cap midfielder Dimitrios Kourbelis from Trabzonspor.

Al-Taawoun

Perhaps punching above their weight last season, Al-Taawoun were looking to build from a fourth-place finish. They have signed Venezuelan defender Renne Rivas on loan from Caracas and kept Brazilian midfielder Flavio after a two-year loan from Trabzonspor.

Al-Raed

Former Newcastle midfielder Mehdi Abeid, capped 19 times by Algeria, joined Al-Raed from Istanbul Basaksehir. Moroccan defender Ayoub Kasmi has signed from FUS Rabat in his homeland.

Al-Fateh

One-cap Hungary goalkeeper Peter Szappanos signed for Al-Fateh from Paks, and French winger Amine Sbai signed from Grenoble.

Damac FC

Florin Nita, who has 25 caps as Romania’s goalkeeper, moved from Gaziantep in Turkey to Damac FC.

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