Saudi champions Al Hilal are hoping to lure more top talent to the Pro League with their transfer window still open.
They dropped just six points in an unbeaten campaign last time around but may still look to do some business over the coming weeks. However, they'll have a hard time convincing European clubs to let key players go outside of their window.
Here are the confirmed Al Hilal new signings so far for the summer 2024 window.
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Al Hilal confirmed signings summer 2024
Joao Cancelo Man City €25.0m Moteb Al Harbi Al Shabab €28.9m Marcos Leonardo Benfica €40.0m Khalid Al Ghannam Al Ettifaq Loan
The Saudi transfer window runs longer than the European ones, not closing until 6 October, so there is still time for Al Hilal to complete deals. Last year, they spent in the region of €375m on new players.
The summer of 2024 has been a lot quieter by comparison, but they recently completed their first major signing with Joao Cancelo arriving from Manchester City in a €25m deal. He's their first major foreign addition at right-back and compensates for the loss of Saud Abdulhamid who has moved to Roma.
Cancelo fell out of favour with Pep Guardiola some time ago, so it was no surprise to see him depart the Etihad this summer. The Portuguese international is one of the most dangerous attacking full-backs in world football, capable of making runs from deep to both create and score goals. However, the defensive side of his game has always been something of a weakness, although few teams in the Pro League will be able to truly exploit that.
Since moving for Cancelo, Al Hilal have also completed their second and third major summer signings, although the first one is not a well-known name outside of Saudi Arabia.
Moteb Al Harbi is a 24-year-old left-back who has already won six caps for the national team. He has made his name in the Pro League with Al Shabab, making his debut in the 2020/21 season and making more than 100 appearances for the club. He adds to Jorge Jesus' options at left-back and is set to compete with Renan Lodi who has been linked with a move away.
The Saudi champions have also completed their most expensive signing of the summer in recent days. Forward Marcos Leonardo has moved to the Middle East in a €40m switch from Benfica.
It's no secret that Al Hilal have been after a young striker and while not necessarily their top target, the 21-year-old showed a clinical streak, by scoring seven goals in just 326 minutes of football in the Portuguese top flight last term.
Al Hilal transfer window rating so far: C
Cancelo is a big name arrival who only adds to what was already surely the strongest squad in Asian football.
Al Hilal has also seemed keen to attract younger talent than the Saudi Pro League has typically been able to attract, with a fresh striker one apparent priority. However, convincing young European-based players to make the switch is clearly no easy task, and they were rebuffed by a number of their top targets, so it does feel like they've failed on that front.
Marcos Leonardo may in time prove a smart addition, but the €40m fee seems extremely excessive given the forward started just three league matches for Benfica last term, after a 2023 move from Santos.
There have been no major departures, though, and if anything, this Al Hilal squad should be stronger this season with Neymar fighting back to fitness and Cancelo on board. As a result, it has been a reasonably stable summer, which is perhaps what they needed after last year's madness.
Al Hilal confirmed departures summer 2024 – full list
- Matheus Pereira (Cruzeiro)
- Saud Abdulhamid (Roma)
- Muath Fagihy (Al Ittihad)
- Saleh Al Shehri (Al Ittihad)
- Mohammed Jahfali (Al Kholood)
- Muteb Al Mufarrij (Al Taawoun)
- Abdulelah Al Malki (Al Ettifaq)
- Mohammed Barnawi (Al Orobah – Loan)
- Salman Al Faraj (NEOM SC)
- Michael (Flamengo)
