Saudi Pro League eyes ‘biggest deal since Cristiano Ronaldo’ with €100m transfer plan

Robin Bairner

• 28 Jan 2026 04:30 CST
• 3 min read

Nieuws

The Saudi Pro League’s assault for the world’s best players is set to step up in the summer, with the big-spending division hopeful of landing a transfer that would be its “biggest since Cristiano Ronaldo”.

Plans are afoot in the SPL to sign a string of leading stars, with Mohamed Salah and Vinicius Junior among the players who are on a 50-man shortlist of players ahead of the summer.

But Sky Sports reports that it is also targeting a lucrative move for reigning Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele of PSG.

Ousmane Dembele: Significant transfer package prepared by Saudi

The early stages of a transfer are being explored by Saudi for Dembele, whose contract expires in the summer of 2028.

PSG have opened contract talks with the forward, but president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has sent the Ballon d’Or winner a warning that he will have to fit into the club’s wage framework.

Sending a clear message to Dembele, the Qatari told Canal+ after last week’s Champions League loss to Sporting CP: “The club's policy is that there's a salary cap for players, everyone knows it and everyone must respect it.

“The club is more important than anyone else.”

Saudi are said to be preparing a “significant package” for Dembele, which is likely to include a lucrative transfer fee for PSG. The attacker’s Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) currently sits at €97.8 million, while any successful offer would have to eclipse the €100m mark.

Although Dembele’s representatives have claimed that the France forward will not have his head turned before the World Cup, Sky adds that “the possibility of a seismic transfer to Saudi Arabia… could be firmly on the agenda” next summer.

Will Dembele move to Saudi?

Transfer expert Kaveh Solhekol claims that the move could have enormous ramifications throughout the football world.

“If this happens, it would be the biggest deal for Saudi Arabia since they signed Cristiano Ronaldo,” he said.

“The Saudi Pro League clubs are anticipating a big summer transfer window and one of the players they are looking to sign is Ousmane Dembele.

“Could it happen? I think it's a long shot. They may well try and sign him, but whether he would want to go to Saudi Arabia when he's at the peak of his powers remain to be seen.”

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