This should be another summer where players across Europe are making moves across the continent in the transfer window. That norm however seems to have changed as a list of high-profile players that started with Cristiano Ronaldo and now Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kante, Roberto Firmino among others and have all headed to Saudi Arabia.
This comes on the back of the Public Investment Fund (PIF) taking control of four foundation clubs in the Saudi Pro League (Al Ahli, Al Ittihad, Al Hilal, and Al Nassr) where the bulk of these players have headed. African players have not been exempt from this new trend and Afrosport takes a lot at those who have jumped on the plane to the Arabian Gulf.
Sadio Mane (Al Nassr)
The Senegalese superstar joined Al Nassr after a less-than-fruitful season at Bayern Munich. He had moved to the Bavarian capital last summer after six years at Anfield but did not hit the heights he was known for at Liverpool with a lengthy layoff due to a knee injury and suspension for an altercation with teammate Leroy Sane denting his image.
The 32-year-old joined Al Nassr for a fee of £24 million with a reported wage of £33 million per year and will now team up with Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo. Al Nassr will hope to win the Pro League with Mane’s addition after finishing five points behind champions Al Ittihad last season.
Riyad Mahrez (Al Ahli)
The 32-year-old Algerian enjoyed a fruitful nine years in the Premier League where he first won the top flight with Leicester City before going on to win 11 titles with Manchester City including a historic treble of the Premier League, FA Cup and the UEFA Champions League. He was also awarded as the 2016 African Footballer of the Year award and won the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.
He now moves to the Arabian Gulf for a reported £30 million and will earn a whooping £26 million per year.
Edouard Mendy (Al Ahli)
The Senegal shot-stopper lost his place as first-choice goalkeeper at Chelsea having arrived at the club in 2020 when he had displaced Kepa Arrizabalaga. He however lost form after helping Senegal the 2021 AFCON title in Cameroon before suffering a series of injuries.
At 31, Mendy’s £16 million move to Al Ahli and reported £9.4 million per year salary offers him a fresh start to his career and the reputation he has built.
Kalidou Koulibaly (Al Hilal)
Another Chelsea and Senegalese player that has moved to Saudi Arabia after just a season at Stamford Bridge.
Koulibaly came with a wealth of experience from his eight years at Napoli but it did not translate to success on the pitch with the Blues finishing a disappointing 12th in the Premier League. With Koulibaly not in new manager Mauricio Pochettino’s plans, Al Hilal’s £17 million transfer fee and yearly salary of £30 million was too good to refuse.
Seko Fofana (Al Nassr)
The Ivory Coast midfielder had a productive three years at French club RC Lens, making them become a stable name in the Ligue 1 after gaining promotion in 2020.
Fofana scored 21 goals and provided 12 assists in 112 competitive apperances, the 2022-23 season seeing Lens finish second in Ligue 1 behind Paris Saint-Germain and booking Champions League football in the process. All these convinced Ronaldo’s Al Nassr to offer Fofana a three-year deal worth £22 million and a yearly salary of £13 million.
