Saudi Pro League transfer window leaves Al-Hilal and Al-Ahli strengthened as Al-Nassr opt for stability

The Saudi Pro League’s summer transfer window has closed, leaving the leading clubs with markedly different squads, strategies and expectations ahead of the decisive stages of the season.

Al-Ahli and Al-Hilal were the most aggressive operators in the market, while Al-Ittihad focused on targeted additions. Al-Nassr, by contrast, adopted a far more cautious approach, with Samu Costa their most prominent signing.

However, the number of arrivals alone will not determine which club benefited most. The success of each recruitment campaign will depend on whether the new players address the specific needs of their teams and make up for any important departures.

Al-Ahli aim to replace major departures

Al-Ahli were among the busiest of the leading clubs, bringing in Abu Bakr Sidi Kinteh, Mishal Al-Mutairi, Eduard Spertsyan, Nayef Masoud, Francisco Trincao, Abdullah Al-Radif, Saeed Baattia, Ibrahima Diaby and Artem Bondarenko.

The arrivals provide a clear mixture of domestic and overseas talent, with several players capable of improving the team’s attacking and technical quality. Trincao, Spertsyan and Ibrahima Diaby are among the additions expected to have the greatest influence.

Yet Al-Ahli’s transfer business must also be assessed against the players who have left. The departures of Riyad Mahrez and Franck Kessie have created significant gaps, meaning the club’s window will not be judged solely by the quality of its new signings.

The key question is whether the incoming players can replace the influence and importance those two established figures brought to the squad.

Al-Hilal reshape their attack

Al-Hilal undertook one of the most extensive changes among the leading clubs, adding Abdullah Al-Anazi, Sabri Dahal, Mohammed Al-Owais, Mohammed Al-Sarnoukh, Nawaf Al-Habashi, Crysencio Summerville, Mohammed Mahzari, Ollie Watkins and Gabriel Martinelli.

The club’s recruitment was not simply about increasing squad numbers. It represented a clear attempt to alter Al-Hilal’s attacking identity.

Summerville, Martinelli and Watkins bring pace, energy and a higher-tempo style. Their arrivals suggest that Al-Hilal want a forward line better equipped to press opponents and threaten teams in transition.

That makes Al-Hilal one of the clubs to have changed most significantly from a tactical perspective. Several important players have also departed, so the Saudi club have gone beyond making minor repairs. They have attempted to redraw the shape and character of their squad.

Al-Ittihad choose selective reinforcement

Al-Ittihad did not match the scale of Al-Hilal or Al-Ahli’s activity, but they completed deals for Marwan Al-Sahafi, Rakan Kaabi, Mukhtar Ali and Georginio Wijnaldum.

The approach taken by Al-Ittihad was more measured. Rather than launching a complete overhaul, the club concentrated on strengthening specific areas while retaining much of the structure that already existed.

Wijnaldum stands out because of his extensive experience and his ability to operate in several roles across midfield and attack. Marwan Al-Sahafi is another addition who could develop into an important option for the team.

As a result, the value of Al-Ittihad’s transfer window will be determined less by the number of signings and more by whether those players provide practical solutions during the season.

Al-Nassr put faith in their existing stars

While Al-Ahli and Al-Hilal made substantial moves and Al-Ittihad added selectively, Al-Nassr adopted the most conservative strategy. Samu Costa was the most notable addition to their squad.

That decision appears unusual when compared with their rivals, particularly with Al-Hilal beginning the season with three high-profile attacking signings. Al-Nassr, however, already possess a collection of major stars, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mane, Joao Felix and Kingsley Coman.

Their approach can therefore be interpreted in two ways. It may reflect strong confidence in the quality of the current group, but it could also prove risky if injuries or a demanding schedule expose a lack of additional depth.

With the squads placed side by side, it is difficult to identify an outright winner before the results begin to emerge. Al-Hilal appear to have been the boldest and have made the greatest changes. Al-Ahli have added quality but must also replace high-profile departures. Al-Ittihad have sought balance through selective recruitment, while Al-Nassr have chosen continuity.

The four clubs have therefore followed four different models. Al-Hilal have attempted to rebuild their attack, Al-Ahli have sought to compensate for significant losses, Al-Ittihad have preserved their balance while adding experience, and Al-Nassr have effectively backed their existing squad to compete without major changes.

Football, though, does not award points for transfer activity on paper. The decisive evidence will come over the months ahead, when the new signings’ influence can be measured and each strategy is tested.

The 2026 transfer window was not simply a contest between the leading clubs to sign the biggest names. It was a competition between four distinct ideas about how to build a team. The real test of those ideas begins with the season’s first whistle.