Al-Hilal dominate Saudi Pro League transfer spending with three of top four deals

Al-Hilal have emerged as the dominant force in the Saudi Pro League’s summer 2026 transfer market after completing three of the four most expensive deals, despite a wider shift towards more selective spending by the competition’s clubs.

The Riyadh club led the way by signing Gabriel Martinelli from Arsenal, Crysencio Summerville from West Ham and Ollie Watkins from Aston Villa. Their three attacking additions account for approximately 193 million euros of the market’s leading transfers.

Martinelli was the most expensive signing in the division, joining Al-Hilal for about 70 million euros. His new team-mate Summerville ranked second at 64.5 million euros, while Tijjani Reijnders’ move to Al-Qadsiah placed him third with a fee of 61 million euros.

Al-Hilal also occupied fourth place through the arrival of England forward Watkins, who cost the club approximately 58.4 million euros. The figures give the Saudi Arabian side a clear lead at the top of the summer spending rankings.

The scale of Al-Hilal’s activity stands out because the 2026 Saudi Pro League market has been markedly different from previous years. Clubs have generally moved with greater caution, targeting players who meet specific sporting needs rather than competing in an unrestricted race for the biggest available names.

The league has also placed greater emphasis on younger players who can offer both immediate ability and long-term value. Martinelli was 25 when he moved, while Summerville was 24. Watkins had not yet turned 30 at the time of his transfer, meaning the headline deals were focused on players in their prime rather than established stars approaching the end of their careers.

Al-Qadsiah were the strongest challengers to Al-Hilal at the top end of the market, with the club’s 61 million-euro agreement for Reijnders securing third place in the rankings.

Al-Ahli completed the fifth-most expensive transfer by signing Francisco Trincao for close to 39.4 million euros. The Portugal international’s move ensured that the leading positions were not entirely dominated by Al-Hilal, Al-Qadsiah and the clubs’ biggest attacking investments.

Al-Nassr, meanwhile, recorded only one transfer for a fee among the deals listed. The club signed Portugal midfielder Samu Costa from Real Mallorca for approximately 22 million euros, underlining the contrasting strategies adopted across the division during the window.

The summer therefore marked a change in the way money was deployed in the Saudi Pro League. Significant fees remained available, but clubs were more selective about when and where to spend them. The focus shifted towards recruitment with a clearer sporting and investment rationale, rather than spending purely to secure high-profile names.

Al-Hilal nevertheless used that more controlled market to strengthen their position at the summit. By directing much of their spending towards attack and securing three of the four most expensive transfers, the club showed that a move towards more disciplined recruitment does not necessarily mean retreating from the top of the market.

Instead, the 2026 window suggested that Al-Hilal were prepared to spend heavily when they believed the right opportunities were available, maintaining their leading position in a Saudi Pro League market increasingly defined by selective, long-term investment.