The transfer window has slammed shut for the majority of football now, with most teams having finally completed their business this summer and are now ready to crack on with the season. The Saudi Pro League has other ideas, though, with teams in the country still able to sign players until Thursday, September 7, according to the league's official website. This could cause problems for some teams, with their players potentially heading to Saudi Arabia without the ability to find a replacement.
If the summer so far is anything to go by, clubs in the Saudi Pro League will be sure to target some major names over the next few days and we may see some more top stars heading over there in the near future while they still have the chance. With that said, here are eight players that could still move to the Saudi Pro League in this transfer window.
Gini Wijnaldum
If reports are to be believed, Gini Wijnaldum could have moved to Saudi Arabia as soon as the end of the weekend. The Paris Saint-Germain midfielder has been linked to Al-Ettifaq where he'd join forces with former Liverpool teammate Jordan Henderson in the midfield and Steven Gerrard, who recently took charge of the side.
The former Liverpool man moved to France in 2021, but things haven't gone smoothly for the star. Having made just 38 appearances for the side, he spent last season out on loan at AS Roma and is now reportedly the latest name in a long line of stars to make the move to the Pro League. Having spent five years at Liverpool as a key component of Jurgen Klopp's side, Wijnaldum has proven time and time again his ability to impact a side, so a move to Saudi for the 32-year-old would surely spell trouble for the rest of the league.
Marco Verratti
Marco Verratti has seemingly been linked to everyone this summer, but with the European transfer window now closed, there's no chance he'll be leaving PSG for anyone on the continent. After 11 years as a valuable member of the side's first team, it looks like his time at the club is all but over, with Luis Enrique not too keen on the midfielder, so he'll need to look elsewhere if he wants to get out of the club.
With Europe off the cards, his next best option is a move to Saudi Arabia and links to Al-Hilal have emerged and could offer him the opportunity to leave France. The 30-year-old would team up with Neymar, Aleksandar Mitrovic, Malcom, Kalidou Koulibaly, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Ruben Neves at the club if he were to join and, on paper, they'd be one of the most impressive sides in the league and would certainly challenge for the league title.
Joe Gomez
Joe Gomez certainly isn't the only Liverpool player currently linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League. Still, he's definitely the most realistic option to actually make the switch right now. The 26-year-old has struggled to really cement a spot in the Reds' starting lineup, limited to just 21 Premier League appearances last year, and could fancy his chances overseas if the offer comes in.
Al-Ittihad are said to be interested in the centre-back's services, where he'd team up with Karim Benzema, N'Golo Kante and former Liverpool teammate Fabinho. It wouldn't be all that surprising to see the star move on from Anfield after eight seasons in which he's only made more than 20 league appearances just three times. It would be the rare occasion where a star is not only heading to Saudi for the incredible money but for regular playing time as well, and as such, it would be hard to blame Gomez for actually making the switch.
Adnan Januzaj
Considering where his career once seemed destined to head, compared to where it eventually ended up, a move to Saudi Arabia wouldn't be the worst thing for Adnan Januzaj. The Belgian had a solid, if not spectacular, time at Real Sociedad, where he spent five seasons, but his move to Sevilla in 2022 has been a bit of a disaster.
Making just two league appearances for the side in his debut campaign, it's clear he isn't going to feature much in their plans going forward and a loan spell at Istanbul last year failed to really help matters. With things looking bleak for the former Manchester United man in Spain, and reports emerging about Al Tai's interest in his services, he could very well make the move. Still, considering the hype surrounding the now 28-year-old when he first burst onto the scene at United, it's a shame to see his career headed the way it has.
Saul Niguez
After a disastrous loan spell at Chelsea, it seemed Saul Niguez's career as a top-level talent was firmly a thing of the past, but he's managed to reestablish himself as a firm fixture in Atletico Madrid's first team following his return to the club. The 28-year-old made 38 appearances for the side last year and clearly features in Diego Simeone's plans at the club, but that hasn't stopped Al Nassr from taking an interest in the star, according to ESPN, and he's considering the move himself.
The lure of playing with Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mane, Aymeric Laporte and Alex Telles may be too much to turn down for Saul, but the Saudi club will have to cough up a large fee if they're interested, with Simeone not quite ready to lose the Spaniard and his contract at Atletico running until 2026.
Paul Pogba
There's no sugarcoating it, Paul Pogba's return to Juventus hasn't gone well, at all. Whether it's injuries, poor form or a combination of the two, the Frenchman has made just 11 appearances since rejoining the Italian side last summer and his future already looks bleak with the side.
An apparent failed medical at Galatasaray means Pogba wasn't able to leave Juventus before the European transfer window shut, but there's still time for the 30-year-old to snag a move to the Saudi Pro League. According to ESPN, Al Ahli has approached the former United man and offered him a three-year deal worth around £100m. It remains to be seen whether he'll take them up on their offer, but considering how things are heading in Italy right now, he should certainly consider it. There are worse things than earning £100m as you link up with Riyad Mahrez, Roberto Firmino, Edourard Mendy and Gabri Veiga anyway.
David de Gea
Considering he won the Premier League Golden Glove award for keeping the most clean sheets in the league just last season, it's wild that David de Gea remains a free agent following his United exit in the summer. No one in Europe seemed interested in his services and his lofty wage demands likely played a role in that. It was reported in July, though, that Al Nassr were potentially eyeing up a move for the Spaniard, and they'd clearly have no problem paying him the high figures he'd likely demand.
Things have gone quiet on that front more recently, but it's hard to imagine there won't be a single Saudi club willing to take a chance on De Gea before the window shuts. They've already shown a willingness to recruit high-profile stars for the league, regardless of whether they're past their best or not, and at 32 years old, the former United man should still have plenty to offer. This feels like a no-brainer for one of the Saudi Pro League sides. There's just no way he wouldn't provide a significant upgrade on just about every single goalkeeper in the league, no way.
Mohamed Salah
At the moment, Liverpool are adamant they won't be selling Mohamed Salah this summer and have already rejected a £150m bid from Al-Ittifaq. Money talks though, and if that figure continues to rise, it will surely only be a matter of time before the Reds cave in and take the big bucks. The Egyptian has been truly world-class for Klopp's side over the years, and they'd be significantly worse without him, but considering he's on the wrong side of 30 years old right now, managing to get close to £200m for him could be way too big an opportunity to pass up on.
From the Saudi Pro League's point of view, having the biggest footballer in Arabic history playing in the league would be a monumental moment for them and his talent is undeniable. He'd surely dominate just about anyone he came across in Saudi Arabia, as he continues to do in England, so it would be a steep fee, but one they'd likely consider worth it. Still, with the English transfer window shut, and the chance to replace him gone, it's hard to imagine Liverpool would actually be willing to let him leave before the Saudi window shuts on Thursday. £200m, though, that's a whole lot of money to turn down for a player whose numbers are only going to decline over the next couple of years.