Al Hilal’s top 10 most expensive signings in history ft. Neymar & Gabriel Martinelli

The Saudi Pro League side have signed some big names over the years.

Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal are one of the biggest clubs in Asian football and have dominated domestic and continental tournaments over the years. They have boasted some of the biggest superstars in world football, who have donned the iconic blue jersey of the Blue Wave.

Following the boom of the SPL over the last decade, many big names have moved to Al Hilal, often for incredible transfer fees. The 21-time Saudi champions have often smashed Asian transfer records, signing superstars from Europe and abroad.

Neymar, Darwin Nunez, Ruben Neves, and Theo Hernandez are just some of the names who have moved to the Blue Waves. These players have brought incredible success to the Riyadh-based club, which have also won the AFC Champions League four times.

Al Hilal’s 10 most expensive signings

Rank	Player	Previous Club	Fee
10	Marcos Leonardo	Benfica	€40m
9	Sergej Milinković-Savić	Lazio	€40m
8	Aleksandar Mitrović	Fulham	€52.6m
7	Darwin Núñez	Liverpool	€53m
6	Rúben Neves	Wolverhampton Wanderers	€55m
5	Ollie Watkins	Aston Villa	€58.4m
4	Malcom	Zenit Saint Petersburg	€60m
3	Crysencio Summerville	West Ham United	€64.5m
2	Gabriel Martinelli	Arsenal	€70m
1	Neymar	Paris Saint-Germain	€90m

10. Marcos Leonardo (Benfica) – €40 million

Al Hilal signed Benfica’s 21-year-old Brazilian striker Marcos Leonardo for €40 million, with the youngster signing a five-year contract with the Saudi club. The Seleção youth international was a massive hit in Riyadh, scoring 48 goals in 82 appearances, including a double to knock Manchester City out of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. However, a strict limit on the number of foreign players allowed in a squad contributed to Leonardo leaving for Ajax in 2026 for €19.9 million.

9. Sergej Milinković-Savić (Lazio) – €40 million

Serbian midfielder Sergej Milinković-Savić moved to Al Hilal from Lazio for €40 million, signing a three-year contract. He has since become one of the most decorated players in the Saudi Pro League, playing almost 150 matches and winning six major titles with the Blue Waves. He has also scored 44 goals from midfield, showing his worth to his club.

8. Aleksandar Mitrović (Fulham) – €52.6 million

Aleksandar Mitrović established himself as one of the most lethal strikers in the Premier League during his time at Fulham. However, a lucrative offer from Al Hilal tempted the Serbian striker to join the Saudi side for a reported fee of £50 million. He finished his first SPL season with 40 goals in 43 matches, making himself a fan favourite. Overall, he scored 68 goals in 79 appearances before moving to Qatari side Al Rayyan in September 2025.

7. Darwin Núñez (Liverpool) – €53 million

After a torrid time with Liverpool, Darwin Núñez moved to Al Hilal in 2025 for a €53 million fee. There were huge expectations for the Uruguayan forward, who was one of the most prolific forwards in Europe with Benfica. However, Núñez’s first season with the Blue Waves was a difficult one. He scored nine times and registered five assists in 24 matches but was removed from the domestic squad to make space for Karim Benzema. He eventually ended his exile with a loan move to Al-Diriyah in 2026.

Also Read: Top 10 players who left Saudi Pro League to return to Europe

6. Rúben Neves (Wolverhampton Wanderers) – €55 million

After a proposed move to Barcelona fell through, Rúben Neves left Wolverhampton Wanderers to join Al Hilal in 2023 for €55 million, signing a three-year deal. Since then, he has made 138 appearances for the Saudi side, scoring 25 goals and registering 35 assists. He has also won six trophies with the Blue Waves, including the 2023-24 Saudi Pro League title.

5. Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa) – €58.4 million

After weeks of speculation, Aston Villa forward Ollie Watkins secured a move to Al Hilal, with the West Midlands side pocketing around £51 million. The England international signed a three-year contract, becoming the second-most expensive forward in football history aged 30 or older, behind only Harry Kane. Watkins departs after a solid career in the Premier League, where he scored 91 goals in 221 appearances.

4. Malcom (Zenit Saint Petersburg) – €60 million

After a failed stint with Barcelona, Malcom rebuilt his career in Russia with Zenit Saint Petersburg. His 23-goal season with Zenit prompted Al Hilal to sign him for €60 million, making him one of the most high-profile players to join the Saudi Pro League. He grew into one of the most important attacking players for the Blue Waves, scoring 47 goals and registering 41 assists in 139 matches across all competitions. He recently joined Emirati side Al Jazira after his contract was terminated.

3. Crysencio Summerville (West Ham United) – €64.5 million

After starring for the Netherlands in the FIFA World Cup 2026, Crysencio Summerville left the relegated West Ham United and joined Al Hilal, who committed to a transfer fee potentially rising to £60 million. The Dutch youngster reportedly turned down interest from Premier League sides to join the Blue Waves. He has quickly become a key member of the attack, scoring once and assisting twice against Al Khaleej. He also had a high-profile Panenka penalty miss against Al Fayha.

2. Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal) – €70 million

Despite scoring 62 goals and registering 36 assists in 278 appearances for Arsenal, Gabriel Martinelli had dropped down the pecking order. As a result, the Gunners opted to offload the Brazilian, and Al Hilal signed him for a fee reportedly worth €70 million, according to The Athletic’s David Ornstein. Martinelli’s arrival will be a big signal of intent from the Blue Waves, who are set to add an exciting, pacy left-winger who is entering his prime years.

1. Neymar (Paris Saint-Germain) – €90 million

Neymar had an injury-ravaged spell at Paris Saint-Germain since his world-record transfer from Barcelona, but that did not stop Al Hilal from signing him for €90 million in 2023. However, the move became one of the worst transfer decisions in football history. The 31-year-old made just seven appearances across 17 months, scoring a solitary goal and registering three assists. The player and the club mutually agreed to terminate the contract in January 2025, with Neymar returning to Brazil to rejoin Santos.

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