How Crysencio Summerville is getting on in Saudi Arabia after West Ham exit | OneFootball

FLW looks at how Crysencio Summerville is settling in at Al Hilal after leaving West Ham this summer

West Ham United have received immense credit for how they've been able to retain a fair few Premier League-quality players over the summer, despite the need to raise funds.

Indeed, just hours after their relegation was confirmed, The Athletic wrote that the Hammers needed to raise at least £150 million in player sales, and while there were plenty of sellable assets at the London Stadium, two major departures all but covered that.

Mateus Fernandes left for Tottenham Hotspur in a deal worth £85 million, and a couple of weeks later, Crysencio Summerville was the subject of an initial £55 million bid, with add-ons taking it to £60 million, from Saudi Professional League side Al-Hilal.

It was a deal that came under some questioning at the time. The level of the Saudi top flight comes under a lot of scrutiny, and for a 24-year-old who had just come off somewhat of a breakout World Cup campaign, critics wondered if it was the right move.

How Crysencio Summerville has got on at Al-Hilal

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Summerville has been one of Al-Hilal's main men going forward so far this season, starting all seven Saudi Pro League games for Simeone Inzaghi's side. In those seven outings, he's netted twice and assisted three times.

Interestingly, he's currently massively underperforming his personal underlying numbers. His expected goals sit at 4.55, over two more than what he's actually scored. That being said, he's completing dribbles at a staggering 71.4% rate, showcasing how easy he's finding the level.

Al-Hilal did lose a league game for the first time since April 2025 a couple of weeks ago, though, losing 2-0 at home to NEOM SC.

Indeed, Summerville joined his new side off the back of an invincible season, but one where they still finished runners-up for the second consecutive campaign. His arrival was one step towards trying to go one better, and it's been so far, so good.

Last season's champions Al-Nassr have endured a bit of a slow start out of the blocks under Ange Postecoglou, with Cristiano Ronaldo's side sitting third. Al-Hilal, with 18 points from a possible 21, top the pile in the early stages.

It's not been the greatest start for Summerville in the AFC Champions League, though, after he was sent off in their opening-day win against Al-Gharafa.

Crysencio Summerville has been joined by some familiar faces this summer at Al-Hilal

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Summerville hasn't been the only Premier League signing this summer by the Saudi Pro League leaders.

The Dutchman arrived to form a front three with former Barcelona wideman Malcom and Real Madrid legend and former Ballon d'Or winner Karim Benzema, but come the end of the transfer window, that had changed.

Instead, Summerville now plays off the left with former Arsenal man Gabriel Martinelli on the right and former Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins through the middle, forming a front three akin to one chasing a Europa League spot in the Premier League, rather than dominating the Saudi league.

Watkins and Martinelli scored five of Al-Hilal's six goals in their to-nil away win at Al-Taawoun last weekend. It shouldn't be long before Summerville starts to get in on that trio act, too.

West Ham United are coping well without Crysencio Summerville in the Championship

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Summerville's quality in the Championship is well known. It was just over two years ago that the Dutchman lifted the second tier's Player of the Season award after scoring 19 and assisting nine for Leeds United.

Keeping him at the London Stadium would have been ambitious, but even without the 24-year-old, Nuno Espírito Santo's side are looking dangerous going forward with the quartet of Manor Solomon and Jarrod Bowen on the wings and Joel Piroe and Taty Castellanos in the middle.

Ultimately, the sale of Summerville allowed the Hammers to be able to afford to retain the likes of Castellanos and Bowen, who no doubt would have received interest, but with the club not needing to raise much more in terms of player sales, they didn't need to sell.

So, while some West Ham fans questioned their former player's decision to go to Saudi Arabia in the summer, in the end, it's working out pretty well for them in the immediate aftermath.