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Saudi signings ranked: Neymar’s out, but team-mate is No.1!

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10 months ago

November 16, 2023

Saudi Pro League summer signings power rankings: Roberto Firmino falls, Aleksandar Mitrovic climbs to No.1 and injury ruins Neymar’s debut season

Over 30 new faces arrived from Europe amid unprecedented spending during the 2023 summer window, but who is putting in the best performances so far?

When Cristiano Ronaldo swapped Manchester United for Al-Nassr in January 2023, many saw his move to Saudi Arabia as an anomaly; a veteran superstar off to play out his final days in a non-European league where he would be paid handsomely but not be competing at anywhere near the highest level.

The following summer, however, has now painted Ronaldo’s move in a whole new light. With over 30 big names from across the European leagues having followed in his footsteps amid unprecedented spending from Middle Eastern clubs, the Pro League has become the fastest-growing competition in the sport, with this likely just the start of the project, too.

And while the various transfers generated plenty of headlines, the players involved have since had to get down to business and start producing the goods at their respective new teams. But which players have lived up to their price tags, and who is struggling to adapt to their new environment?.

90minsoccer has rated and ranked every top Saudi Pro League signing from the summer of 2023 to find out…

Previous update: September 29, 2023.

33Jota (Al-Ittihad) – 2/10 ↔️

Signed for almost €30 million from Celtic, no one expected that after just a few weeks that Jota would be on the fringes at Al-Ittihad.

With just one goal in his seven appearances, the winger is no longer available to play in the league after not being registered for the first-team squad in September, and there are now reports that the club will launch an internal investigation into how they came to sign one of the flops of the season so far.

32Habib Diallo (Al-Shabab) – 2/10

Having scored 20 goals in Ligue 1 last season for Strasbourg, Diallo was expected to fire Al-Shabab towards the top of the table, but things have not gone to plan as yet. The Senegal international scored only one goal for his new club, who have won just four of their first 13 league matches.

31Roberto Firmino (Al-Ahli) – 2/10

Firmino started with a bang, scoring a hat-trick on his Pro League debut, but things have gone downhill pretty quickly since then. The ex-Liverpool forward has not found the net since, and he has become a regular target for those in the media as they look to explain Al-Ahli’s inconsistent form.

30Neymar (Al-Hilal) – 2/10

The most expensive signing of the Saudi summer, Neymar’s debut season at Al-Hilal is already over following the cruciate ligament tear he suffered while playing for Brazil in October. Three games, three assists will go down as his final numbers for his first Pro League campaign.

29Merih Demiral (Al-Ahli) – 2.5/10

It’s been an inauspicious start to life in the Pro League for Demiral, who left Atalanta to join Al-Ahli in late August. The Turkey defender has made just four league appearances for his new club, but has already been booked twice and sent off once as he has allowed his aggressive nature to get the better of him.

Undergoing knee surgery at the end of September also means that the ex-Juventus prospect is out of action for the forseeable future.

28Seko Fofana (Al-Nassr) – 3/10

The star of the Lens team that pushed Paris Saint-Germain close in last season’s Ligue 1 title race, Fofana’s time at Al-Nassr has been hampered by injuries thus far.

The midfielder has started just four league games, meaning he is yet to build a relationship with new partner Marcelo Brozovic.

27Edouard Mendy (Al-Ahli) – 4/10

The former Chelsea goalkeeper is having a difficult time so far at Al-Ahli. Things started badly when he gifted the opposition a goal on the opening day, and he has continued to concede avoidable strikes, while his insistence of playing out with his feet is causing more problems than it is solving.

Mendy is, admittedly, showing improvements, but he has not yet reached the level that the fans desire; five clean sheets out of 13 matches is not a good record for a ‘keeper at an expected title-challenger.

26Allan Saint-Maximin (Al-Ahli) – 5/10

Like most of Al-Ahli’s new arrivals, he started well, but Saint-Maximin is one of a number of the club’s players who has come under the microscope after they dropped 13 points within their 13 league matches.

The former Newcastle winger has faced questions over his tactical indiscipline and his weight as he aims to help get his new club back on track.

25Gabri Veiga (Al-Ahli) – 5/10 ↔️

Many were surprised that Veiga chose to snub Napoli and move to Saudi Arabia at the age of 21, and so far for the Spanish youngster it hasn’t worked out at Al-Ahli.

The ex-Celta Vigo star has scored just one goal and assisted a further two for his new club as they have struggled for form in recent weeks after a fast start to the campaign.

24Demarai Gray (Al-Ettifaq) – 5/10

Gray has made eight appearances in the Pro League so far after arriving extremely late in the window from Everton following a battle between Al-Ettifaq and Al-Shabab to sign the Jamaica winger.

Steven Gerrard’s insistence in playing the 27-year-old as a central striker has, however, limited his impact, and Gray has managed just one goal and two assists thus far.

23Kalidou Koulibaly (Al-Hilal) – 6/10

After an underwhelming start from the ex-Chelsea defender, it seems that Koulibaly has begun to adapt to his new surroundings after some improved performances. He continues to form a strong partnership in the Al-Hilal defence with fellow centre-back Ali Al Bulaihi.

22Alex Telles (Al-Nassr) – 6/10

After plenty questioned Telles’ arrival at Al-Nassr due to them already having a perfectly good left-back in Ghislain Konan, the former Manchester United man is yet to live up to his billing.

He hasn’t been bad by any means, and has certainly contributed to the team’s recent upturn in form, but he scored only one goal and assisted one more for his new team.

21Roger Ibanez (Al-Ahli) – 6.5/10 ↔️

Having spent big to improve their attack, Al-Ahli left it to late to beef up their defence before bringing in Ibanez from Roma to join his fellow ex-Serie A star Demiral. The Brazil international seems to have settled quicker in his new surroundings thus far.

20Luiz Felipe (Al-Ittihad) – 6.5/10

Al-Ittihad actually wanted to sign Sergio Ramos to bulk up their defence over the summer, but when they failed to convince the Real Madrid legend, they turned their attention to Italy international Felipe.

The €22m they paid Real Betis to sign him looked like like being a bargain early on, though his performance levels have dropped as the defending champions’ have fallen out of the title race..

19Karim Benzema (Al-Ittihad) – 6.5/10

The first blockbuster arrival of the summer, 2022 Ballon d’Or winner Benzema’s move to Al-Ittihad shocked fans around the world, especially those at Real Madrid who expected to get another year out of the striker.

Benzema, however, is yet to set the Pro League alight, though his hat-trick in the first game after manager Nuno Espirito Santo was sacked hinted at better times to come for the French No.9. He has now scored eight goals and assisted four more at in 11 Pro League matches.

18Fabinho (Al-Ittihad) – 7/10

After reports that Fabinho’s move to Al-Ittihad might fall through due to an issue with his dogs proved to be wide of the mark, the midfielder has wasted little time in getting down to work in the Middle East.

The £40m signing from Liverpool has begun to show just why the defending champions were willing to pay such a fee for his services after forming a strong midfield partnership with N’Golo Kante.

17Yannick Carrasco (Al-Shabab) – 7.5/10

Carrasco was one of the latest arrivals from Europe this summer, but struggling Al-Shabab already look like a different team with the former Atletico Madrid winger in the line up.

He has either scored or assisted in four of his first seven Pro League games, and certainly looks like having the potential to be one of the division’s best players.

16Malcom (Al-Hilal) – 7.5/10

Eyebrows were raised when Al-Hilal chose to spend €40m on Zenit forward Malcom, but the Brazilian’s fast start to life in Saudi Arabia – including an opening-day hat-trick – soon silenced any critics.

While continuing to be a thorn in opposition defences, the goals have dried up in recent weeks for the ex-Barcelona man, as he headed into the international break on an 11-game drought in all competitions.

15N’Golo Kante (Al-Ittihad) – 7.5/10

After a slow start while he regained full fitness, Kante quickly became a fan favorite in Jeddah as he began to show why he was considered one of the best midfielders in the world at Chelsea.

In addition to his usual impressive defensive work, Kante has also begun to show the other side of his game, scoring a goal and setting up three more for the holders. Al-Ittihad’s poor recent results are certainly not down to the form of their World Cup-winning midfielder.

14Sadio Mane (Al-Nassr) – 7.5/10

After a slow start at Al-Nassr, Mane has begun to show signs of his best form after making the left-wing role his own in the club’s frontline alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Anderson Talisca.

The ex-Liverpool and Bayern Munich forward has scored nine goals in all competitions so far, and assisted three more.

13Aymeric Laporte (Al-Nassr) – 7.5/10

Al-Nassr’s defeats in their opening two games of the season were pinned on their leaky defence, but Laporte’s arrival from Manchester City has made that problem a thing of the past.

The club have won eight out of nine league games Laporte has played so far, helping springboard them back into the title race.

12Riyad Mahrez (Al-Ahli) – 7.5/10

Mahrez may not have been at Al-Ahli long, but he has already been on something of a rollercoaster ride since his arrival from Manchester City. The winger was initially criticised for his performances in the wake of being overlooked for his new club’s captaincy, and there were real concerns that he would be remembered as an expensive flop.

He has been back to his best over the past six weeks or so, though, and now has 12 direct goal contributions to his name from 13 Pro League appearances.

11Jack Hendry (Al-Ettifaq) – 8/10

Far from the biggest name to arrive in Saudi Arabia this summer, Scotland international Hendry has emerged as a defensive rock for Al-Ettifaq since signing from Club Brugge.

He may not grab headlines like some of his new team-mates, but Gerrard’s side would not be the same without the 28-year-old centre-back.

10Otavio (Al-Nassr) – 8/10 ↔️

The Player of the Season in Portugal for 2022-23, Otavio arrived from Porto with a €60m price tag to justify, but he has made an excellent start to life in the Pro League.

It was felt that Luis Castro’s side needed a player to link-up their fearsome attack with the rest of the team, and Otavio has certainly provided that, helping Al-Nassr to reduce the gap to Al-Hilal at the top of the table.

9Georginio Wijnaldum (Al-Ettifaq) – 8/10

Wijnaldum has returned four goals in eight league games so far for Al-Ettifaq following his arrival late in the window from Paris Saint-Germain.

Though clearly not the same player he was at Liverpool, the Netherlands international has wasted little time in putting his nightmare two years at Parc des Princes behind him, and early signs are he can be a true difference-maker in the Pro League.

8Jordan Henderson (Al-Ettifaq) – 8/10

For all the controversy back in England surrounding his exit from Liverpool, Henderson has shown few signs of it affecting him with his performances for Al-Ettifaq so far. The former Reds captain has found a new lease of life under Gerrard, and has provided plenty of creativity from midfield, laying on four league assists already.

7Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (Al-Hilal) – 8/10

Having joined from Lazio, Milinkovic-Savic quickly became a fan favourite at Al-Hilal despite being sent off on just his third appearance. He has developed a superb midfield partnership with Ruben Neves, even if he is seemingly unhappy with manager Jorge Jesus’ tactics.

6Moussa Dembele (Al-Ettifaq) – 8/10

A signing that went under the radar among the arrivals of Benzema, Neymar and Co. into the league, Dembele’s move from Lyon to At-Ettifaq has been one of the most successful so far.

He has netted nine times in all competitions, with seven of those goals coming in the Pro League, and his importance to Gerrard’s team has been made even more clear in recent weeks, with Ettifaq having won just one of the four games Dembele has missed through injury.

5Ruben Neves (Al-Hilal) – 8/10

Al-Hilal’s midfield duo of Neves and Milinkovic-Savic was expected to be one of, if not the best partnership in the Pro League, and they proved to be as much in their side’s thrilling win over Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Clasico back in September.

However, as those around him have allowed their levels to dip a little, Neves has maintained his high standards and continues to be a standout performer following his summer move from Wolves.

4Yassine Bounou (Al-Hilal) – 8.5/10

Morocco goalkeeper Bounou arrived from Sevilla in the final weeks of the transfer window, but has already established himself as one of the top shot-stoppers in the division.

Bounou has kept seven clean sheets in 11 league matches so far, with Al-Hilal’s defensive record the best in the division by a decent margin already.

3Franck Kessie (Al-Ahli) – 8.5/10

If not for Al-Ahli’s recent drop in form, Kessie may well have received a perfect score for his opening weeks in the Pro League, with the signing from Barcelona having taken the division by storm.

Kessie’s physicality has proven a problem for all opposition players so far, while he has also popped up with four goals, showing he can be more than just a destroyer and can also contribute in the final third.

2Marcelo Brozovic (Al-Nassr) – 9/10

Al-Nassr pulled off something of a coup by convincing Brozovic, one of the best midfielders in the world last season, to join from Inter. That they paid just €18m for the Croatia international means he was a bargain, too.

Brozovic has certainly carried last season’s form into the current campaign, with his tireless running and bossing of the midfield making him a fan favourite already.

1Aleksandar Mitrovic (Al-Hilal) – 9/10

Mitrovic had to force his way out of Fulham over the course of the summer, but he has quickly made himself at home at Al-Hilal.

The Serbia striker has netted 10 goals in eleven league games, including a memorable hat-trick to beat Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Clasico.

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