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September 3, 2024
Building on last week’s big signings of Joao Cancelo and Ivan Toney, Roshn Saudi League clubs stayed active until Monday’s transfer window deadline, securing several exciting deals just before the cutoff.
Here, we spotlight 10 of the latest arrivals to the Roshn Saudi League 2024-25 from the lively final 24 hours of the transfer window, as teams bolstered their squads in anticipation of the 2024-25 season resuming next week.
The former Manchester United defender joins Al Fayha from AS Roma, where he spent five years and secured the 2022 UEFA Europa Conference League title and was a runner-up in the 2022-23 UEFA Europa League. At 34 years old, Smalling made 155 appearances for the Serie A club, scoring 10 goals. During his time at United, the center-back was part of two Premier League-winning teams and earned 31 caps for England. He has previously played for Fulham in the English top flight.
A regular at Paris Saint-Germain, the versatile defender had a successful four-year stint in the French capital, securing three Ligue 1 titles and two French Cups. Capable of playing in central midfield, Pereira has also won top-flight trophies with Benfica. He was part of the Portugal squad that won the 2016 Euros and the 2018-19 UEFA Nations League. At 32, he has earned 72 caps for his national team.
English Premier League fans will recognize the Portuguese forward, who has completed a notable four-year stint at Wolverhampton Wanderers by signing with Al Shabab. Podence, 28, spent last season on loan at Greek side Olympiacos, from which he initially joined Wolves. He marked his return to Molineux this season by appearing in three of the team’s first four matches. During his 108 appearances for Wolves, he scored 16 goals and provided nine assists.
Al Nassr has made an impressive move by acquiring Simakan from Germany’s RB Leipzig to strengthen their defense alongside Aymeric Laporte. The 24-year-old Frenchman became a fan favorite at the Bundesliga club, making 122 appearances since his debut in 2021, scoring seven goals and delivering 13 assists. While primarily a center-back, Simakan can also play as a right-back.
The AS Roma-to-RSL transfer route has been notably popular this summer, with Costa being the latest to follow this path. The 19-year-old Brazilian winger joined AS Roma’s youth academy from Corinthians in 2021 and made his senior debut last November after progressing through the ranks. Costa leaves Rome after having made five appearances for the club and representing the Portugal U-19 team last year, despite being born in Brazil.
The Benfica link at the reigning RSL champions strengthens further with Leonardo joining the Al Hilal ranks alongside manager Jorge Jesus and fellow new signing Cancelo. The 21-year-old Brazilian forward joined the Primeira Liga side in January and scored eight goals in 17 league matches, with his most recent goal coming last week. He has also played for Brazil at multiple youth levels.
Another British player to join the RSL, the 21-year-old striker, arrives at newly promoted Al Orobah as the top scorer in Welsh football from last season. Young, a product of Aston Villa’s Premier League academy, claimed the 2023-24 Cymru Premier Golden Boot after scoring 22 goals to lead The New Saints to a Welsh double. He also netted twice in his European debut this summer, helping TNS secure their first-ever spot in the UEFA Conference League group stage.
The RSL adds a second former Tottenham Hotspur winger, with Dutch wide man Bergwijn joining Damac’s Georges-Kevin N’Koudou in the Kingdom. At 26, Bergwijn struggled in the Premier League after his high-profile move from PSV Eindhoven in 2020. Still, he rediscovered his form upon returning to Holland with Ajax. Appointed captain, he scored 29 goals in 80 appearances for the Amsterdam club. He was part of the Netherlands squad at UEFA Euro 2024 this summer.
Brazil’s strong connection with the RSL continues with the loan acquisition of highly-regarded center-back Renan by Al Shabab. After starting his career at Corinthians in Brazil, Renan joined Zenit Saint Petersburg in Russia last year on a five-year deal. He made 13 appearances in the Russian top flight before being loaned to Internacional in January. At just 20 years old, he was called to Brazil’s senior squad in March for a friendly against Morocco.
Renan won’t have to search far for a fellow Brazilian in Riyadh, as Al Nassr has strengthened their attack with the addition of 19-year-old winger Angelo. The Brazilian, who joins from Premier League side Chelsea, began his career at Santos and made his debut at the astonishing age of 15. He accumulated 105 league appearances for Santos before moving to Chelsea in July of the previous year. Last season, he was on loan at Ligue 1 side Strasbourg, where he played 21 times in the French top division.
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Katarzyna Nowak is a seasoned writer with over five years of experience in editorial content, news reporting, and football sportsbook app reviews. As an author for Football News Today, she combines her deep understanding of the sports betting industry with a passion for football, delivering insightful and accurate content that keeps readers informed and engaged.
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