Al Shabab sign Belgium international Yannick Carrasco from Atletico Madrid

Winger, a La Liga winner in 2021, the latest high-profile addition to Saudi Pro League

Yannick Carrasco spent eight years at Atletico Madrid across two spells, helping the Spanish club win the Europa League and La Liga. EPA

Belgian international Yannick Carrasco has signed for Saudi Pro League side Al Shabab, joining on a three-year contract from Atletico Madrid.

The winger, 30, was confirmed as the Riyadh club’s new signing late on Monday. Shabab will hope Carrasco can help turn around their poor start to the season, with the team languishing second from bottom having failed to win any of their opening five matches.

Carrasco, who began his professional career with Monaco, made more than 250 appearances for Atletico during two spells at the club, helping the Madrid club win the Europa League in 2018 and then 2020/21 La Liga title. He scored in the team’s 2016 Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid.

With Belgium, Carrasco has competed in three major tournaments since debuting in 2015, including last year’s World Cup. To date, he has 66 caps.

Carrasco is the latest high-profile name to move to the Saudi Pro League, this summer following the likes of Neymar, Karim Benzema, Sadio Mane, Riyad Mahrez, N’Golo Kante and Jordan Henderson.

On Sunday, Henderson’s Al Ettifaq announced the signing of former Newcastle United, Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum.

The Dutch star, who spent last season on loan at Roma, was part of the Liverpool side alongside Henderson who won the Premier League, Uefa Champions League and Fifa Club World Cup.

Ettifaq, managed by former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, sit fifth in the early league standings, with three wins and a draw from their first five matches.

Major Saudi Pro League signings