The Saudi Pro League net spend table since Cristiano Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr

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·9 février 2026

The Saudi Pro League net spend table since Cristiano Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr

Cristiano Ronaldo has missed a second straight game for Al-Nassr after expressing his dissatisfaction with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF).

Ronaldo joined Al Nassr on a free transfer following the termination of his contract at Manchester United in December 2022 and became the highest-paid player in the world.

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The 41-year-old has since scored over 100 goals for the club, but the only piece of silverware he has lifted in the Middle East remains the Arab Club Champions Cup.

He believes Al Nassr are not receiving the same financial support as the three other clubs owned by the Saudi sovereign wealth fund PIF – Al Hilal, Al Ahli and Al Ittihad.

Al-Hilal are currently top of the Saudi Pro League and recently signed Karim Benzema from Al Ittihad on a free transfer, which is reportedly the principal reason for Ronaldo’s frustration.

A league spokesperson said: “The Saudi Pro League is structured around a simple principle: every club operates independently under the same rules.

“Clubs have their own boards, their own executives and their own football leadership. Decisions on recruitment, spending and strategy sit with those clubs, within a financial framework designed to ensure sustainability and competitive balance. That framework applies equally across the league.

“Cristiano has been fully engaged with Al Nassr since his arrival and has played an important role in the club’s growth and ambition. Like any elite competitor, he wants to win. But no individual — however significant — determines decisions beyond their own club.

“Recent transfer activity demonstrates that independence clearly. One club strengthened in a particular way. Another chose a different approach. Those were club decisions, taken within approved financial parameters.

“The competitiveness of the league speaks for itself. With only a few points separating the top four, the title race is very much alive. That level of balance reflects a system that is working as intended.

“The focus remains on football — on the pitch, where it belongs — and on maintaining a credible, competitive competition for players and fans.”

Using data from Transfermarkt, we’ve taken a look at the current teams in the Saudi Pro League and ranked them by their net spend since Ronaldo’s arrival in January 2023.

1. Al-Hilal

Money Spent – €651.12million Money Received – €27.75million Net Spend – €623.37million

Al-Hilal spent a total of €353.1million on new players in the summer of 2023, making them the second-biggest spending side in the world.

The biggest deal saw them break the Saudi Pro League transfer record to sign Neymar from Paris Saint-Germain for €90million.

In addition to the Brazil star, Al-Hilal also spent big money on Aleksandar Mitrovic, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Kalidou Koulibaly, Ruben Neves, Malcom and Yassine Bounou that summer.

After winning the Saudi Pro League title in 2023-24, they then had a quieter summer window but still bought Marcos Leonardo from Benfica and Joao Cancelo from Manchester City.

Al-Hilal finished second in 2024-25 and bolstered their squad by signing Darwin Nunez, Theo Hernandez and Yusuf Akcicek.

Alongside Karim Benzema’s arrival on a free transfer, they also spent €70.79million in the January transfer window as they look to hold on to first place in the Saudi Pro League table.

2. Al-Ittihad

Money Spent – €395.55million Money Received – €10.13million Net Spend – €385.42million

Benzema and N’Golo Kante both joined Al Ittihad on free transfers in the summer of 2023, but they also signed Fabinho, Jota and Luiz Felipe.

Moussa Diaby became the most expensive signing in the club’s history after completing his €60million move from Aston Villa in 2024.

He helped them win the Saudi Pro League title in 2024-25 and they’ve since spent another €134.56million, including €15million on Youssef En-Nesyri in January.

3. Al-Nassr

Money Spent – €414.47million Money Received – €33.29million Net Spend – €381.18million

Ronaldo was joined at Al-Nassr in the summer of 2023 by Otavio, Sadio Mane, Aymeric Laporte, Alex Telles, Seko Fofana and Marcelo Brozovic, who cost a combined €162.8million.

They spent just €63.35million in the following summer, but did pay a club-record €77million to sign Jhon Duran in January 2025.

Joao Felix, Kingsley Coman and Mohamed Simakan all arrived at the club last summer, although Al Nassr didn’t make any big-money signings in the January transfer window.

4. Al-Ahli

Money Spent – €386.03million Money Received – €53.43million Net Spend – €332.6million

The final team owned by PIF, Al-Ahli won promotion to the Saudi Pro League in 2022-23 before adding Riyad Mahrez, Gabri Veiga, Roger Ibanez, Allan Saint-Maximin and Edouard Mendy to their squad.

Ivan Toney joined the club a year later in a €42million deal and they paid a club-record €50million to buy Galeno from Porto in January 2025.

Al-Ahli weren’t very busy in the transfer market last summer, and they also made some money by selling Veiga, Saint-Maximin and Roberto Firmino.

5. Al-Qadsiah

Money Spent – €222.72m Money Received – €26.85m Net Spend – €195.87m

Al-Qadsiah were playing in the Saudi First Division League when they were bought by Aramco, the state-owned Saudi oil giant.

Following their promotion to the Saudi Pro League in 2023/24, they spent €82.26million in the summer window and made some high-profile signings like Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Aubameyang spent just one season at the club but has since been replaced by Mateo Retegui, who cost a club-record €68.25million.