🇸🇦 18 top Saudi-based free agents who could return to Europe ✍️

2023 was the year when Saudi Arabian teams began injecting astronomical figures into the European market, offering unaffordable salaries to many players.

Many of those contracts were for three years and will expire in 2026: therefore, starting in January, many players could sign to leave for free in the summer, returning to Europe after filling their pockets in the Saudi Pro League.

We will list the age each player will be in 2026 next to their name.

Al Nassr: 4 players

At Al-Nassr, 4 top-level players will be out of contract.

• Aymeric Laporte - will be 32 years old
• Marcelo Brozovic - will be 34 years old
• Sadio Mané - will be 34 years old
• Inigo Martinez - will be 35 years old

Al Hilal: 4 players

At Al-Hilal, there are two former Serie A players: Milinkovic-Savic and Koulibaly. In particular, the "Sergeant" is on the list for Juventus and Inter (as reported by Fabrizio Romano).

• Ruben Neves - will be 29 years old
• Sergej Milinkovic-Savic - will be 31 years old
• Kalidou Koulibaly - will be 35 years old
• Bonou - will be 35 years old

Al Ittihad: 4 players

For Al Ittihad, only players who will be over 33 in 2026 are present.

• Fabinho - will be 33 years old
• Karim Benzema - will be 39 years old
• N'Golo Kanté - will be 35 years old
• Danilo Pereira - will be 35 years old

Al Ahli: 3 players

Two familiar faces from Serie A are also present at Al Ahli: Demiral and Kessie.

• Franck Kessie - will be 30 years old
• Merih Demiral - will be 28 years old
• Edouard Mendy - will be 34 years old

Barrow, Wijnaldum, and Nacho

Distributed across other clubs are Georgino Wijnaldum (will be 36 years old) at Al Ettifaq, then former Bologna and Atalanta player Musa Barrow (will be 28 years old) who plays at Al Taawoun, and Nacho Fernandez (will be 36 years old) at Al Qadsiah.

📸 Yasser Bakhsh - 2023 Getty Images