Deal done! Benfica target snatched by Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr | OneFootball

Mallorca have confirmed the transfer of Portugal international midfielder Samu Costa to Al Nassr, home to compatriots Cristiano Ronaldo and João Félix. The confirmation was given by Héctor Martín, the Spanish club’s communications director, in comments to the Saudi newspaper Al Riyadiah. The midfielder had also been linked with Benfica.

The agreement between the two clubs has been finalized, with the Saudi champions beating off competition from other European sides, including an offer from Germany’s Leipzig, the same source says. According to newspaper AS, the defensive midfielder will cost €25 million, making him the most expensive sale in the Spanish club’s history.

This was the amount the Balearic Islands club asked of Benfica’s hierarchy. Despite relegation, Mallorca’s officials showed no intention of speeding up the midfielder’s departure before the World Cup.

Samu Costa, 25, joined Mallorca in the summer of 2023 from Almería and quickly became one of the standout figures in midfield in the Spanish league. Last season, the Portuguese player featured in 33 matches in all competitions, starting 31 of them.

Over the course of the season, he scored seven goals and provided two assists, but could not prevent relegation to the second division. Even so, he was with Portugal at the World Cup and played 20 minutes against Colombia. He is now set for his first experience in the Middle East.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.