The 2024-25 Saudi Pro League season kicks off on Thursday, 22 August. Just a year ago, it felt like a new star player was arriving in Riyadh, Jeddah, and other cities every day. Over £700 million was spent to bring in big names like Neymar, Karim Benzema, and Riyad Mahrez, who joined Cristiano Ronaldo in the Middle East.
However, this summer has seen a quieter transfer market, both in Saudi Arabia and globally. Expectations for another free-spending spree haven’t materialized, partly due to challenging economic conditions, the late end of national team tournaments, and clubs navigating local financial regulations.
Simon Chadwick, a professor of sport and geopolitical economy at Skema Business School in Paris, explained to BBC Sport, "It has been a relatively quiet summer across global football."
While there have been rumors linking players like Liverpool's Mohamed Salah and Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr. to Saudi clubs, no blockbuster transfers have taken place so far. Recently, Brentford rejected a £35 million bid from Al-Ahli for England striker Ivan Toney.
Chadwick added, "The problem with spending big on expensive imported talent is that sustaining it means continuing to do so in perpetuity. This is expensive, doesn’t guarantee success, can create instability, and could harm national-team performances."
Inside Saudi Arabian football, there seems to be more strategic thinking now compared to two years ago. Despite the quieter transfer market, the league still boasts plenty of star power. Fourteen players from the league participated in this summer’s European Championship, including Merih Demiral, Al-Ahli's Turkish center-back.
"We showed everyone that the Saudi Pro League is not an easy league," Demiral told BBC Sport. "We work very hard here our training and games are not as easy as many people think." Al-Ahli, one of the "big four" clubs owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), finished third in the Saudi Pro League last season.
Al-Hilal dominated the league, winning their 19th domestic title and extending their world record for consecutive match wins to 34. Aleksandar Mitrovic and Ruben Neves joined the team from Fulham and Wolverhampton Wanderers, respectively.
Mitrovic was the second-highest scorer, only behind Ronaldo, and Neves had the second-most assists, just behind Mahrez. Their defense, including Kalidou Koulibaly, was solid. The big question now is when Neymar, who played only five games before injuring his knee ligaments in October, will return hopefully in September.
Riyadh rivals Al-Nassr finished the season without silverware, despite scoring 100 goals and finishing 17 points ahead of Al-Ahli in third place. The pressure on coach Luis Castro has increased after a disappointing pre-season, culminating in a 4-1 loss to Al-Hilal in the Super Cup final.
Ronaldo remains the focal point, but it’s unclear if he can match his record-breaking 35 goals from last season. He’ll have support from new signings like Sadio Mane, Aymeric Laporte, and Marcelo Brozovic.
Al-Ittihad, the 2022-23 champions, finished fifth last season despite signing N’Golo Kante, Benzema, and Fabinho. After manager Nuno Espirito Santo was let go, his successor Marcelo Gallardo didn’t last long either. Now, the team is led by Laurent Blanc.
With no Asian Champions League commitments and the signing of Moussa Diaby from Aston Villa for about £50 million the biggest deal of the summer so far fans are hopeful for a better season.
Al-Ahli also boasts an impressive attack, with Mahrez, Roberto Firmino, and Firas Al-Buraikan, the league’s top Saudi scorer. Despite losing Allan Saint-Maximin to Fenerbahce, Firmino has shown promising form in pre-season, giving hope to the club's passionate fanbase, who are eager to see their team challenge for the title this time around.
The Saudi Pro League hopes to improve on last season’s average attendance of just over 8,000. The "big four" clubs are the best-supported, and increasing attendance in the rest of the league is a priority.
On the pitch, only two clubs outside the big four Al-Fateh and Al-Shabab have won the league title since Al-Ettifaq's victory in 1987. Al-Taawoun took fourth place last season but may struggle to replicate that success.
Much attention will be on Al-Qadsiah, a club promoted last season. Based in the eastern city of Al-Khobar, they were taken over by Aramco, one of the world’s richest companies.
After a strong start under Robbie Fowler, who was fired despite eight unbeaten games, the team secured promotion under new coach Michel. To compete at the top level, Al-Qadsiah has been active in the transfer market, bringing in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Marseille and Spanish center-back Nacho from Real Madrid.
The club also boasts a strong Spanish-speaking contingent, including Mexican international Julian Quinones, Peru’s Andre Carrillo, Uruguay’s Nahitan Nandez, and Argentina Under-23 midfielder Ezequiel Fernandez.
