Saudi Arabia has entered the summer transfer market with tremendous economic force that has facilitated the task of signing a number of football stars in the world for attractive salaries, led by Karim Benzema, winner of the Ballon d'Or award for the best player in the world for the year 2022.
Former Manchester City star Riyad Mahrez was the last to join the Saudi league, specifically for Ahli Jeddah, at a time when Senegalese Sadio Mane is close to signing for Al Nasr, who was the first to sign stars when he included Cristiano Ronaldo during the last winter transfer market, in a record deal of 500 million euros until the summer of 2025.
In the following lines, we highlight the top 10 wages paid by Saudi clubs to their star players according to the order from lowest to highest, according to the English newspaper "Mirror":
10- Sekou Fofana
The Ivorian midfielder has performed well with the French Lance, making him a target for European clubs in the summer transfer market, but the 28-year-old preferred to sign for Saudi Arabia's Al Nasr on July 18, 2023, and receives a weekly salary of 292,<> euros, a figure that the Mirror believes was enough to entice him to leave Europe.
9- Ruben Neves
The Portuguese midfielder spent 7 seasons with Wolves, and his name was on the table of Barcelona management in order to sign him in the current "Mercato", but Al Hilal was faster and more decisive for the deal and is now paid 366 thousand euros per week.
๐ฌ "Robin". Blue ๐ #ฺููคูุฒ_ููุงูู pic.twitter.com/7kpaHf3CVa
โ Al Hilal Saudi Club (@Alhilal_FC) June 23, 2023
8- Roberto Firmino
After winning many titles with Liverpool and spending 8 seasons at Anfield, it is time to change the atmosphere and experience a new experience for the Brazilian star, whose contract expired last June, and his new destination was Ahli Jeddah, who pays him a weekly salary of up to 380.5 thousand euros.
7- Marcelo Brozovic
Just like Firmino with Liverpool, Brozovic spent 8 seasons with Inter Milan and last season played the Champions League final, and Barcelona was once again a victim of Saudi clubs, because the Croatia international signed for Al Nasr for 470,<> euros a week.
6- Khalido Colbiale
The Senegalese defender's career with Chelsea lasted only one season, so Koulibaly decided to change the atmosphere and take advantage of the big Saudi offer to move to Al-Hilal, who is paid under the contract 672,<> euros per week.
๐ฌ We continue to write history. Together ๐ #ููุฏูู_ุงูููุงู #ุงูููุงู pic.twitter.com/LfvJlq7oPp
โ Al Hilal Saudi Club (@Alhilal_FC) June 25, 2023
5. Jordan Henderson
He is the owner of one of the deals that caused a big shock in the Premier League, as Saudi Arabia succeeded in convincing the Liverpool captain to play in its league, in the end Henderson became a player in the ranks of the agreement that gives him a weekly salary of up to 807,<> euros.
4- Riyad Mahrez
The Algerian star spent with Manchester City 5 seasons full of success and achievements, most notably the historic treble last season 2022-2023, and in total he became the most Arab and African player to win the Premier League by 5 titles (4 times with Manchester City in addition to once with Leicester City), Mahrez joined Ahli Jeddah and receives a weekly salary of up to 875 thousand euros.
๐ธ#ุงูุฃููู evening Riad ๐คฉ ๐ช @Mahrez22#MahrezToAlahli pic.twitter.com/jRrScKT9Nc
โ Al-Ahli Saudi Club (@ALAHLI_FC) July 28, 2023
3. N'Golo Kanti
Chelsea have repeatedly tried to keep their midfielder N'Golo Kante, but the player decisively decided to leave and join Ittihad Jeddah (last season's champions of the Saudi league), earning him a weekly salary of up to 1.86 million euros.
2- Karim Benzema
The French striker ended a legendary career with Real Madrid, during which he was crowned with many titles, most notably 5 in the Champions League, and also said goodbye to the "Merengue", the second most scoring player, and Benzema, winner of the Golden Ball award for the best player in the world for the year 2022, signed this summer for Ittihad Jeddah, which gives him a weekly salary of up to 3.85 million euros.
1- Cristiano Ronaldo
The Portuguese star surprised the whole world by leaving Europe and moving to Saudi Arabia's victory days after the end of his participation with his country in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and before that the "Don" reached an agreement with Manchester United to terminate the contract by mutual consent.
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A post shared by Cristiano Ronaldo (@cristiano)
After more than a month of rumours, Cristiano signed for Al Nasr in a record deal under which he is paid โฌ3.96 million per week, yet Al Nasr lost all the domestic titles he was competing for last season 2022-2023.