The Saudi Pro League’s leading clubs are facing some tough decisions with several high-profile stars now into the final six months of their contracts.
Many of those players are from the first wave of PIF-funded recruitment in the summer of 2023, when lucrative salaries and three-year deals – most of which were two years with the option of a third – were used to entice elite talent from European leagues.
Among those to sign such contracts were the Al Ittihad trio of Karim Benzema, N'Golo Kante and Fabinho, Al Nassr stars Sadio Mane and Marcelo Brozovic, the Al Hilal pair of Kalidou Koulibaly and Ruben Neves, and Al Ahli midfielder Franck Kessie – all of whom could leave for nothing this summer should they fail to agree fresh terms and extend their stay in Saudi football.
For those players, leaving the kingdom would likely lead to a substantial paycut, meaning new deals remain highly attractive should their clubs wish to retain them.
After Cristiano Ronaldo's watershed move to Al Nassr in December 2022 kicked off the Saudi transfer gold rush, Benzema, then the reigning Ballon d'Or winner, swiftly followed in a major coup for Al Ittihad and the ambitious league.
His time in Jeddah has proved a success, with him scoring 25 goals and missing just six domestic games out of the 39 it took Al Ittihad to secure a league and cup double in 2024/25. Now 38, Benzema, whose impressive form even sparked talk of a surprise return to the France squad for this summer's World Cup, has been deliberately coy about his future.
However, he is said to be happy and settled at Al Ittihad and there is a growing confidence at the club that he will agree a new deal. The striker – along with Ronaldo, Neymar and Riyad Mahrez – was one of the four players handed the top tier of contract during that initial recruitment drive.
"He wants to stay, he's very keen to continue in Saudi Arabia and with Al Ittihad," the club's sports director Ramon Planes told ABC. "He's seen that there's a serious project there, with good players."
Doubts over Kante's future
The same cannot be said for Benzema's compatriot and teammate N'Golo Kante, though, with the 34-year-old looking increasingly likely to leave the club for a new challenge either this month or in the summer.
Al Ittihad are keen to keep the midfielder, but Istanbul giants Fenerbahce are pushing to get a deal done in this transfer window. Premier League clubs are also monitoring the situation.
A January exit depends on finalising a deal with a reluctant Al Ittihad, while the former Leicester and Chelsea player would have no shortage of options should he become available for free in the summer.
Despite plenty of interest, Kante's midfield partner Fabinho also looks set to stay at least until the summer. The 32-year-old is focused on earning a place in Brazil's World Cup squad and, having been recalled by Carlo Ancelotti, is thought to be happy with regular football in Jeddah. He is reported to have spurned interest from former club Fluminense this month, although with no offer on the table from Al Ittihad, a summer exit cannot be ruled out.
Al Ittihad have high hopes for the emerging force that is Mali international Mahamadou Doumbia, and the 21-year-old is set for a more prominent role in their midfield next term.
Koulibaly to stay but Neves has options
League leaders Al Hilal, meanwhile, are hopeful of securing the future of two of their key players in Neves and Koulibaly. Neves, the 28-year-old Portugal midfielder, has many admirers in England and Spain – including Manchester United and Newcastle – and is thought to be keeping his options open until the summer when, as a free agent, he could have his pick of clubs.
That doesn't entirely rule out an extended stay in Riyadh, however, with the club eager to tie him down and still hopeful he can be persuaded that his future lies with them.
By contrast, an extension for Koulibaly is understood to be a formality, with a strong will on both sides to get a deal done. The 34-year-old Senegal skipper has been a mainstay of the Al Hilal defence since his move from Chelsea two-and-a-half years ago and is said to have fully embraced life in Saudi Arabia. An announcement could be imminent following his return to SPL action after Senegal's victorious campaign at Afcon 2025 in Morocco.
Mane in strong position but Brozovic expected to leave
Back in August, Mane's Al Nassr future looked extremely uncertain when the club entertained Besiktas' efforts to sign him in the closing days of the summer window. However, a deal could not be finalised, and the Senegalese enjoyed a superb start to the campaign as Al Nassr reeled off 10 consecutive victories to set the early pace in the SPL.
It says a lot about his influence on the team that their form fell off a cliff as soon as he departed for the Africa Cup of Nations, and the goals immediately dried up for the previously prolific Ronaldo and Joao Felix.
Thought to be highly regarded by teammates and the Al Awwal Park hierarchy, Mane has seen his hand strengthened significantly and is now tipped to extend his Al Nassr career should his good form continue in the final months of the season.
That, however, is not the case for his teammate Brozovic. The Croatian is expected to leave on a free when his contract expires in the summer, with Serie A the most likely destination for the former Inter Milan player.
Another midfielder attracting interest from Italian clubs – including Turin giants Juventus – is Al Ahli's Kessie. While the reigning Asian champions are open to extending the 29-year-old's deal, he is keeping all options on the table, and is a target for clubs in Serie A, where he made his name with AC Milan before arriving at Al Ahli via Barcelona.
Away from the league's big four, the Al Ettifaq duo of Georginio Wijnaldum and Jack Hendry are also potentially available on a free this summer, as is Al Qadsiah's former Real Madrid defender Nacho.
