Top five Premier League players to join Saudi Pro League
The Saudi Pro League is gaining ground with every passing day. They are now the leading football league in Asia with plenty of top European players plying their trade. It started with Cristiano Ronaldo's move to Al-Nassr last year. Since then some exceptional talents have joined various SPL clubs helping the league gain more traction. We rate the top five players to join SPL.
Roberto Firmino, Al-Ahli
Former Liverpool marksman Roberto Firmino joined Al-Ahli on a free transfer. Firmino joined Liverpool back in 2015 and featured in 362 matches while netting 111 goals. He won the Premier League in the 2019-20 season and the UEFA Champions League in the season before that. Firmino managed 71 assists for Liverpool. His assists count in the Premier League was 50.
N'Golo Kante, Al-Ittihad
One of the best midfielders of this generation, N'Golo Kante was a vital cog for Leicester, Chelsea, and also for France. He played a key role for Leicester, who won the 2015-16 Premier League title. He replicated that feat with Chelsea by winning the Premier League in the 2016-17 season. Kante made 269 appearances for Chelsea, scoring 13 times and making 16 assists.
Jordan Henderson, Al-Ettifaq
Former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson has been reunited with Steven Gerrard at Al-Ettifaq. Henderson, 33, moved in a deal worth £12m plus add-ons. Henderson was a sensational figure for Liverpool since 2011 when he joined from Sunderland. In his 12-year stay, he featured 492 times, scoring 33 goals and providing 57 assists. He won eight trophies with Liverpool, including the PL and UCL.
Riyad Mahrez, Al-Ahli
Riyad Mahrez was one of the key players in Manchester City's treble triumph last season. He was a very valuable player for Pep Guardiola's men ever since joining the team in 2018 for a then-club record fee of £60m. Mahrez joined Al-Ahli for £30m. Notably, he had two years left on his contract. He played 236 matches, scoring 78 goals and making 56 assists.
Fabinho, Al-Ittihad
Brazilian midfielder Fabinho has joined Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Ittihad for £40m. During his time at Liverpool, Fabinho made 219 appearances for them across all competitions. The midfielder netted 11 goals and provided nine assists, whilst winning seven trophies for the Reds. In the Premier League, he registered 151 games, while scoring eight goals and providing eight assists.
Neves deserves a special mention
Midfielder Ruben Neves left Premier League side Wolves to join Al-Hilal. Reportedly plenty of top European clubs were after him but he decided to sign for Al-Hilal for £47m. Neves made 253 appearances and scored 30 goals for Wolves.
