The Saudi Pro League continues to make waves in the 2023 summer transfer window as the push to sign big names from top European clubs.
Riyad Mahrez, Jordan Henderson and Aleksandar Mitrovic are set to be the next players to move to the Middle East, following the likes of N'Golo Kante, Karim Benzema and Roberto Firmino.
PSG have also received a world-record bid for Kylian Mbappe from Al-Hilal as the Saudi Arabian team looks to sign the France star for one season. It will certainly go down as the biggest transfer of all-time.
The Sporting News looks at the top 10 best paid players in the Saudi Pro League heading into the 2023/24 season.
MORE: Will Kylian Mbappe earn for than Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi?
Kylian Mbappé:
— B/R Football (@brfootball) July 25, 2023
▫️ Has a reported $776M contract offer from Al-Hilal
▫️ Gets a $66M loyalty bonus if he's still a PSG player on August 1, per @SkySportsNews
Woah 🤑 pic.twitter.com/cOpDbRqzn4
Best paid players in Saudi Arabia
Here is a list of the top ten best paid players in the Saudi Pro League as of July 25, 2023:
10. Jota (£10m/$12.9m)
Jota is one of Al-Ittihad's three big new signings in the 2023 summer transfer window. The 24-year-old scored 11 goals and got as many assists in 33 Scottish Premiership games for Celtic last season.
9. Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (£12.9m/$16.6m)
Milinkovic-Savic is perhaps one of the more suprising transfers to the Saudi Pro League in this transfer window. The midfielder was constantly linked to a move to the Premier League, but he opted for a move to the Middle East instead.
Al-Hilal paid Lazio a reported £34m ($43.8m) for the 28-year-old who represented Serbia at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
8. Seko Fofana (£13m/$16.7m)
Fofana's name has become more popular in the footballing world after two successful seasons with Lens in Ligue 1. They qualified for the Champions League this season, but it was not enough to convince the Ivory Coast midfielder to stay on.
7. Ruben Neves (£15.6m/$20.5m)
Neves is another midfielder who chose to go to Al-Hilal instead of a Premier League club. The former Wolves captain left Molineux for £47m ($60.5m) this summer, making him the most expensive transfer in Saudi Pro League history – as things stand.
Ruben Neves explains why he moved to the Saudi Pro League 🗣 pic.twitter.com/AoepMtcerJ
— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) July 18, 2023
6. Roberto Firmino (£17m/$21.9m)
Firmino decided to call time on his Liverpool career after his contract expired in June. He won every trophy possible with the Reds, including their first Premier League title and sixth Champions League.
He joins Edouard Mendy at Al-Ahli for the 2023/24 season. Mendy is the highest paid goalkeeper in the entire league.
MORE: Comparing Kylian Mbappe salary offered by Al Hilal to Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi wages
5. Marcelo Brozovic (£21m/$27m)
Brozovic played a huge role in Inter Milan's run to the 2023 Champions League final, but the 30-year-old has decided to join Fofana and Cristiano Ronaldo at Al Nassr.
They finsihed second in the league last season, but Al Nassr will be hoping that Brozovic and Fofana help them secure the title this time around.
4. Kalidou Koulibaly (£30m/$38.6m)
Koulibaly was another Chelsea player who moved to the Saudi Pro League this summer. He only spent one season in London after joining the Blues from Napoli, but things did not go to plan as they finished 12th in the Premier League.
The Senegal international will now play for Al-Hilal, but could miss a few games due to the 2024 AFCON in January.
3. N'Golo Kante (£86.2m/$110.9m)
Kante left the Premier League as one of the best defensive midfielders in recent years. He won the domestic title with both Chelsea and Leicester, also winning Champions League during his time with the Blues too.
The France international has been plagues with injuries recently, one of the reasons both parties chose not to extend his contract. He will now join Karim Benzema and Jota and Al-Ittihad.
2. Karim Benzema (£172m/$221.3m)
Unless the transfer of Mbappe goes through, Benzema will easily be the biggest name to move to Saudi Arabia this summer. He is set to earn a large sum of money having left Real Madrid to join Al-Ittihad.
The 35-year-old spent 14 years in the Spanish capital, winning five Champions League titles along with the 2022 Ballon d'Or.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo (£173m/$222.6m)
Despite the influx of players to the Saudi Pro League, Ronaldo still remains the highest paid player in the country. Joining Al Nassr in January 2023, he earns just over one million more than Benzema each year.
The 38-year-old's contract with his current club ends in June, 2025, but he has not hinted that it will be the final team he plays for.
