Saudi Arabia transfers: Every completed deal, rumour, snub, exit as Moussa Diaby nears Al Ittihad

The 2023 summer transfer window will be hard to beat after Saudi Arabia went a bit crazy. Regardless, it is worth keeping up to date with the Saudi Pro League’s transfer activity this summer. Here is every done deal, rumour and snub there is to know.

Salary and contract information were being thrown around for fun last summer but that fun stuff is more secretive this time around, so wages are our best guesses from reading reports and certain websites…

Saudi Pro League done deals

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Marseille to Al Qadsiah, 9m) – two-year contract worth £8.5m a year (£708,331 a month; £163,461 a week)

Nacho Fernandez (Real Madrid to Al Qadsiah, free) – two-year contract worth £8.4m a year (£703,333 a month; £162,307 a week)

Houssem Aouar (Roma to Al Ittihad, £10.1m) – four-year contract worth £5.1m a year (£428,562 a month; £98,899 a week)

Bento (Athletico Paranaense to Al Nassr, 15m euros) –  three-year contract worth £5.1m a year (£428,562 a month; £98,899 a week)

Ahmed Al-Ghamdi (Al Ettifaq to Al Ittihad, £6.2m) – three-year contract worth £487k a year (£40,615 a month, £9,372 a week)

Julian Quinones (America to Al Qadsiah, 13.8m) – four-year contract, unknown salary

Nahitan Nandez (Cagliari to Al Qadsiah, free) – three-year contract, unknown salary

Koen Casteels (Wolfsburg to Al Qadsiah, free) – three-year contract, unknown salary

Romarinho (Al Ittihad to Al Suqoor, free) – two-year contract, unknown salary

Ahmed Hegazy (Al Ittihad to Al Suqoor, free) – two-year contract, unknown salary

Players who have left Saudi Arabia

Allan Saint-Maximin – Al Ahly to Fenerbahce (£6.7m euros loan fee)

Matheus Pereira – Al Hilal to Cruzeiro (£4.2m)

Woo-young Jung – Al Khaleej to Ulsan Hyundai (£337k)

Ivan Rakitic – Al Shabab to Hajduk Split (free)

David Ospina – Al Nassr to Atletico Nacional (free)

Ahmed Yasin – Al Kholood to Orebro SK (free)

Andrei Burca – Al Okhdood to FC Baniyas (free)

Beni Nkololo – Al Orobah to CFR Cluj (free)

Munir Mohamedi – Al Wehda to RS Berkane (free)

Vladimir Stojkovic – released by Al Fayha

Cristian Tello – released by Al Fateh

Mariano Vazquez – released by Al Kholood

Roberto Dias – released by Al Kholood

Rafael Martins – released by Al Kholood

Florin Tanase – released by Al Okhdood

Solomon Kvirkvelia – released by Al Okhdood

Rubin Hebaj – released by Al Orobah

Luciano Vietto – released by Al Qadsiah

Kevin Rodrigues – released by Al Qadsiah

Alvaro Gonzalez – released by Al Qadsiah

Faycal Fajr – released by Al Wehda

Moustapha Zeghba – released by Damac FC

Saudi-linked players who moved elsewhere

Alvaro Morata (to AC Milan) – wanted by Al Qadsiah

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Premier League players linked with Saudi Arabia

Gabriel Jesus (Arsenal)
Al Ahly loaned out Allan Saint-Maximin and are reportedly looking at Jesus or Brazil team-mate Richarlison , currently at Tottenham, as a replacement.

Thomas Partey (Arsenal)
These links refuse to go away. Partey is surely the only first-team player Arteta actually wants a Saudi Arabian club to come in for.

Moussa Diaby (Aston Villa)
After being close to joining Al Nassr last summer, Diaby is off to Saudi Arabia and his move to Al Ittihad has been given the ‘here we go’ treatment by Fabrizio Romano. We kind of predicted this one.

Kepa Arrizabalaga (Chelsea)
Chelsea still have some clearing up to do after a big summer of departures last year and will hope the filthy-rich Saudis rescue them again by signing Kepa – who is still the most expensive goalkeeper ever .

Romelu Lukaku (Chelsea)
“Saudi Arabia wouldn’t stop me. The level will only rise there. To a much higher level than many people think. More and more footballers will tend to play there. All the major European top clubs know that Saudi Arabia is coming.”

Not very subtle from Big Rom, who will be doing Chelsea a favour by moving to the Middle East. What a disastrous signing this has been. Probably the worst in Premier League history. Definitely Chelsea’s worst in recent history . And there have been a lot of them.

Alisson (Liverpool)
There were a few murmurs at the end of the season. Ederson moving to Saudi is a lot more plausible.

Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
It feels inevitable, this one. Salah has a year left on his Liverpool contract and a £100m+ offer will surely be too appealing to turn down, even if he is the Reds’ most important player.

Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)
De Bruyne has talked up a move to the Middle East so is bang up for it. There have been plenty of rumours but the most telling one is Fabrizio Romano saying there is nothing in it at the moment. One to watch.

Ederson (Manchester City)
Al Ittihad have failed with a 30m euro bid for Ederson and are expected to come back. Man City reportedly want 50m euros.

If the Brazilian leaves, it is believed that Stefan Ortega will become Pep Guardiola’s new No. 1.

Antony (Manchester United)
A loan back to Brazil has been rumoured but a permanent move to Saudi Arabia would be perfect for Man Utd.

Casemiro (Manchester United)
Rumours were rife for months but have died down a bit recently. Maybe Erik ten Hag wants to keep Casemiro. Sir Jim Ratcliffe doesn’t though. He wants that contract as far away from Old Trafford as possible.

Callum Wilson (Newcastle United)
Newcastle were desperate to raise funds in June and there was talk of injury-prone striker Wilson moving to the Middle East. That feels unlikely now.

Miguel Almiron (Newcastle United)
A move collapsed in January and Newcastle fans are eager to see their club cash in on Almiron. It looks unlucky at this stage with the Paraguayan eager to stay in England.

Richarlison (Tottenham)
Reportedly wanted by Al Ahly, Richarlison said in May that he is not leaving the Premier League this summer.

Lucas Paqueta (West Ham)
Nobody’s future is more up in the air than Paqueta’s. There is a potential FA ban coming, with West Ham keeping their options open. Man City are keen but reluctant due to the probe. A move to Brazil could yet happen. And there is interest from Saudi Arabia. Honestly, f**k knows…

Serie A players linked with Saudi Arabia

Rafael Leao (AC Milan)
Al Hilal are lurking.

Ademola Lookman (Atalanta)
Lookman’s incredible Europa League final showing to deny Bayer Leverkusen an unprecedented invincible season has put him up in everyone’s estimations. The former Fulham and Leicester loanee is wanted by many, including a few clubs in Saudi Arabia.

Albert Gudmondsson (Genoa)
Icelandic striker Gudmondsoon is reportedly an Al Ahly target.

Benjamin Pavard (Inter)
French full-back Pavard is not interested in a move to Saudi Arabia after talks between clubs and his agent.

Lautaro Martinez (Inter)
“There’s no chance for a move to Saudi Pro League as we’ve agreed on new deal with Inter.” That is what Martinez’s agent had to say last month.

Stefan de Vrij (Inter)
De Vrij is happy at Inter and only has a year left on his contract. A big proposal could see the Italian champions sell.

Wojciech Szczesny (Juventus)
Former Arsenal goalkeeper Szczesny was linked with a return to Arsenal with Mikel Arteta chasing a homegrown No.2. That is not going to happen and a move to the Saudi Pro League is very realistic.

Victor Osimhen (Napoli)
Saudi clubs became very keen on Osimhen when they tried and failed to sign Kylian Mbappe last summer. The interest remains and a move to the Middle East will likely be the Nigerian’s Plan Z.

Jan Oliveras (Roma)
The 20-year-old left-back has never played for Roma and Al Ittihad are reportedly keen.

La Liga players linked with Saudi Arabia

Stefan Savic (Atletico Madrid)
Atletico are willing to sell Savic this summer and there is interest from Saudi, Italy and Turkey.

Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona)
Polish legend Lewandowski reportedly turned down a mouth-watering £89m contract in March. Blimey.

David Garcia (Osasuna)
Al Shabab have reportedly agreed personal terms with Garcia.

Alex Collado (Real Betis)
Collado has been linked with Al Kholood for a while and a move is reportedly close to completion.

Ez Abde (Real Betis)
Has publicly dismissed interest from Saudi Arabia, explaining his desire to win trophies with Betis.

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Nabil Fekir (Real Betis)
Will Fekir reunite with Houssem Aouar at Al Ittihad? What could have been for both…

Aissa Mandi (Villarreal)
Al Kholood have been busy and their eyes are on Algerian centre-back Mandi.

Bundesliga players linked with Saudi Arabia

Jonathan Tah (Bayer Leverkusen)
The big centre-back only wants Bayern Munich. Not the Premier League or Saudi Pro League.

Benjamin Sesko (Leipzig)
Could have joined Chelsea, Arsenal or Manchester United this summer but decided his development should continue in Germany.

In doing so, the Slovenian also rejected a €30m net salary from the Saudi Pro League.

Ligue Un players linked with Saudi Arabia

Alexandre Lacazette (Lyon)
The former Arsenal No. 9 reportedly rejected a €30m contract to stay at Lyon, who he will captain in the Europa League next season.

Anthony Lopes (Lyon)
There has been interest for months but Lopes is still a Lyon player. Lucas Perri is expected to be the French club’s first-choice ‘keeper next season.

Arthur Theate (Rennes)
Belgium defender Theate was close to moving to Saudi Arabia in a surprising move for a promising player. That fell through after Fabrizio Romano’s ‘here we go’. He had even completed a medical apparently.

Eredivisie players linked with Saudi Arabia

Hirving Lozano (PSV)
There is interest there but it looks like Lozano is holding out for MLS expansion team San Diego FC

Scottish Premiership players linked with Saudi Arabia

James Tavernier (Rangers)
This rumour crops up every transfer window. ‘Steven Gerrard to be reunited with Rangers favourite’ is an easy line, isn’t it?

Connor Goldson (Rangers)
And quite often, a Tavernier rumour includes Goldson coming with him, holding hands into the Saudi sunshine. Well just before. They don’t want to be beheaded on arrival.

2nd Bundesliga players linked with Saudi Arabia

Myziane Maolida (Hertha Berlin)
An announcement is imminent if Fabrizio Romano is correct. He always is.

Argentine Primera Division players linked with Saudi Arabia

Ezequiel Fernandez (Boca Juniors)
Al Qadsiah have been busier than every other Saudi club and 21-year-old midfielder Fernandez is another on their radar.

Paulo Diaz (River Plate)
Yep, it’s Al Qadsiah again.

Managers linked with Saudi Arabia

Stefano Pioli
After being sacked by AC Milan, Pioli is set to join Al Ittihad on a three-year contract.

Jose Mourinho
“Becoming coach of a Saudi Pro League club? If you ask me in the future… never say never. I had an important proposal but I said no as I was committed to AS Roma,” Mourinho said in March.

Jose will eventually move to Saudi Arabia. For now, the Special One is at Fenerbahce. A true match made in heaven.

Gennaro Gattuso
An approach in May did not materialise into an agreement. Gattuso is now managing Ivan Rakitic and Ivan Perisic at Hajduk Split.

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