Former Burnely captain Josh Brownhill completes move to Saudi Pro League | OneFootball

Former Burnley captain Josh Brownhill (29) has completed a move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Shabab on a free transfer, ending a five-year stint at Turf Moor, as reported by BBC Sport.

The 29-year-old midfielder departs Burnley after 211 appearances and 32 goals, having played a pivotal role in the club’s promotion push last season with 18 goals across all competitions. His consistency and leadership drew interest from several Premier League sides, including Brentford, Wolves, and West Ham, as well as Championship outfit Leicester City, but Brownhill ultimately chose to pursue a move abroad.

At Al-Shabab, Brownhill joins Belgium winger Yannick Carrasco and Dutch defender Wesley Hoedt in a squad now under the guidance of former Real Sociedad coach Imanol Alguacil. The Saudi club endured a difficult start to their league campaign, suffering a 4-1 defeat to Al-Khaleej on the opening weekend.

His switch reflects a broader trend that has seen a growing number of European players, from seasoned internationals to emerging Premier League stars, opt for Saudi Arabia in recent seasons, lured by lucrative contracts and ambitious club projects.

Speaking after the move was confirmed, Brownhill expressed his excitement: “The way the manager plays, the formation, system, and vision, really attracted me. I’m hoping to score a lot of goals and we’ll be aiming to win some trophies this season.”

Al-Shabab will face Al-Hazm on Friday.

GFN | Finn Entwistle