Big-name players at Arsenal , Manchester City , Tottenham and Liverpool include some of the top talents from the Premier League who have been connected with potential transfers to the Saudi Pro League this coming summer.
The top division in Saudi Arabia has been causing quite a stir in the transfer market recently, securing significant signings such as Jhon Duran, Galeno, Joao Cancelo, and Moussa Diaby within the last year.
There is no indication that Saudi Pro League teams will cease using their deep pockets when the transfer window reopens this summer.
Here are six Premier League players expected to transfer to the Saudi Pro League during the summer 2025 transfer window.
Darwin Nunez
"Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez was also considered by Al Nassr, however, the team from Merseyside has no plans to sell him at this point in the transfer window," stated The Athletic’s transfer guru David Ornstein in January.
It is anticipated that there will be considerable interest in Nunez during the upcoming summer transfer window should Liverpool decide to part ways with the 25-year-old player.
However, he is considered a crucial member of Arne Slot’s team as they strive for significant accolades in the latter portion of this season.
Considering Nunez’s recent difficulties – he has only scored three goals in his last 18 outings since Christmas – one can’t help but speculate whether Arne Slot might be experiencing some second thoughts about not capitalizing on the services of the Uruguayan forward.
Al Nassr eventually landed on Jhon Duran and might not be in the market for another forward in the summer.
However, other teams in the Saudi Pro League remain connected to this situation, and it seems more likely than ever that Liverpool might seek to recover their substantial £85 million investment from a signing that has not panned out over the past three years.
READ: 6 instances when soccer teams rejected staggering transfer offers – only to later lament their decision
Luis Diaz
Nunez is not the sole Liverpool striker connected with a transfer to the Saudi Pro League.
Diaz has not yet extended the five-and-a-half-year deal he signed when he transferred from Porto in January 2022.
Following the payment of a substantial sum for his autograph, it is thought that the Colombian’s earnings are small potatoes in the wider context of Premier League wages – so you could understand why he’d be tempted to take home several times his current salary elsewhere.
Clubs from the Saudi Professional League are reportedly keeping an eye on the situation.
“As of now, it isn’t a sure thing, but it is definitely a realistic prospect,” Fabrizio Romano elaborated on his YouTube channel.
“There were some clubs from Saudi interested in Luis Diaz and he decided to continue with Liverpool to respect Liverpool.”
Is that likely to stay true during the summer? Rumors suggest Arne Slot plans to revamp Liverpool’s whole attacking lineup before the upcoming season. Stay tuned for updates.
Kevin De Bruyne
DeBruyne, who many consider the top midfield player in Premier League history, appears set to conclude his remarkable decade-long tenure with Manchester City as he approaches the end of his stay in England.
In recent years, Saudi connections may have faded for him, yet he remains with Manchester City. It seems improbable that he will extend his stay at the Etihad since signing a new deal isn’t being considered. Moving to an opposing team within the Premier League also appears out of question. Additionally, considering the reduced playing time this campaign indicates that transferring to another elite European side might not be feasible either.
He could easily join an MLS team as a free agent this summer, but it seems likely that he will receive even more attractive proposals from Saudi clubs. Previously, he has mentioned being receptive to moving to Saudi Arabia, noting that it would allow him to "earn an impressive sum" during the later stages of his professional career.
For Michele, an adventurous experience in a foreign land is fine," De Bruyne stated to Belgian broadcaster VTM during last summer’s interview. "These discussions are becoming more common within our family too.
I've got one more year left on my contract, so I need to consider all possibilities.
My oldest child is currently eight years old and has only known life in England. He frequently wonders how much longer I will continue playing for City. When the moment arrives, we will need to handle the situation appropriately.
At this stage in my life, I must remain receptive to all possibilities. You discuss enormous opportunities as perhaps the conclusion of my career approaches. Occasionally, one has to consider these things.
Son Heung-min
De Bruyne is not the only top-tier Premier League player seemingly past his prime.
In January, Tottenham activated an option to prolong their captain's contract in North London until 2026. Although the 32-year-old player will not become a free agent this summer, it does not rule out the possibility of him leaving during the upcoming transfer window.
The son has netted more than a hundred Premier League goals for Tottenham but has not performed up to par with the team’s difficulties in the 2024-25 season. As the club proceeds with their focus on young talent development, this could be an appropriate moment to part ways.
The South Korea international admitted he turned down a move to an unnamed Saudi Pro League club back in 2023, so the interest is definitely there.
“If I wanted to go there, I would not be here!” he said at the time, having succeeded Harry Kane in taking on the captain’s armband that summer. Two years later he might’ve had a change of heart, especially with the prospect of one final lucrative contract dwindling at this stage in his career.
Ederson
Another key cog in Manchester City’s recent imperial era, the Brazilian thought seriously about moving to the Saudi Pro League last summer – only to be convinced by Guardiola to stay.
“There really was a proposal on the table, something that weighed heavily because it was an unusual proposal,” Ederson confirmed in an interview with TNT Sports Brasil .
“I had countless conversations with Guardiola, and one of them was essential. But from what he told me, the guarantees, the process and the evolution I had with him. All of that was essential for my staying at City.”
Since then, similar to De Bruyne, he has faced challenges with his performance and physical condition during City’s unexpectedly poor 2024-25 season. At 31 years old and still under contract until 2026, he might still have a place among Europe’s top clubs.
Manchester City made significant investments during the January transfer window, and discussions about more substantial changes to their roster continue ahead of the next transfer period. It seems plausible that Saudi Arabia could still attract Ederson, and it wouldn’t come as a shock if Pep Guardiola brings in a new goalkeeper this summer, with reports suggesting that Diogo Costa from Porto is the top choice for the position.
Leandro Trossard
Footy Insider The report indicates that Trossard is expected to remain an attractive option for teams in the Saudi Pro League this coming summer.
The Belgian winger remained at Arsenal amid rumours of interest last year, but he’s approaching the final year of his contract and interest has not yet died down.
We’d be amazed if Arsenal don’t sign at least one forward this summer given their struggles in the final third this season. But with new faces there’s also expected to be departures.
David Ornstein stated in a recent Q&A session that if Arsenal plans to make a significant investment in acquiring a forward, and if Zubimendi joins them, then it would likely necessitate raising funds through player sales or several transactions. The Athletic .
“It wouldn’t shock me to see a notable player depart this summer but, at the time of writing, I don’t know who that might be.”
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