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Homegrown allrounder has had limited opportunities this summer

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Sep-2025

Paul Coughlin has played twice in the County Championship this season•Getty Images

Paul Coughlin, the Durham allrounder, has agreed a move to Lancashire ahead of the 2026 season.Coughlin, 32, came through Durham’s academy before moving to Nottinghamshire in 2017, where he won England Lions recognition. After an injury-plagued two-year spell, he returned to the northeast and was part of the side that won promotion back to Division One of the County Championship in 2023.However, he has only made five first-team appearances this season and Durham announced on Sunday that he would be leaving at the end of his contract.”I’m thrilled to be making the move to Lancashire,” Coughlin said. “It’s a club with a great history and big ambitions, and I’m really looking forward to getting started with a new chapter in my career.”The chance to commit to Lancashire for the future and be part of what they’re looking to achieve here is something that I’m hugely excited about.”I know Keaton Jennings and Michael Jones very well from our time at Durham together and it will be great to link-up with both again at Lancashire and meet the rest of the lads.”Lancashire have endured a difficult summer, with Dale Benkenstein leaving his role as head coach and Keaton Jennings giving up the four-day captaincy as hopes of Championship promotion were dashed. They reached T20 Blast Finals Day but a depleted side fell at the first hurdle, beaten by eventual champions Somerset.Mark Chilton, Lancashire’s director of cricket performance, said: “We are delighted to have secured Paul’s services as we continue to strengthen our squad ahead of the 2026 season. This move represents an exciting new challenge for Paul, who has already demonstrated his ability to perform at the highest level. We believe that a fresh environment will provide the platform for him to return to his very best.”Paul’s all-round qualities will add significant depth and versatility across both red-ball and white-ball formats, and we look forward to welcoming him to Emirates Old Trafford in the winter.”

Abbas, Pennington claim three wickets each as Somerset are bowled out for 438

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay30-Jul-2025

Haseeb Hameed raises his bat on reaching a hundred•Getty Images

Nottinghamshire 189 for 2 trail Somerset 438 (Rew 166, Abell 156, Abbas 3-60) by 249 runs Captain Haseeb Hameed’s third century of the season helped title-chasing Nottinghamshire build a solid foundation in reply to Somerset’s 438 on day two of their Rothesay County Championship clash at Trent Bridge.Hameed, who struck 15 fours and two sixes, also passed 1,000 first-class runs for the season with the same shot that completed his hundred. He had earlier shared a stand of 101 for the second wicket with Freddie McCann (48).At 189 for two, though, Nottinghamshire, who began this round one point behind Division One leaders and defending champions Surrey, still have much work to do, trailing by 249 runs even after third-placed Somerset lost their last seven wickets for 100, Mohammad Abbas (three for 60) and Dillon Pennington (three for 71) sharing the bowling honours for the home side.Somerset’s 438 all out – while a total not to be sniffed at after being asked to bat first – perversely still felt like fewer than Somerset probably should have accumulated on a pitch with little in it for the bowling side, given that they had been 338 for three before Tom Abell’s demise shortly before Tuesday’s close,Abbas excepted, Nottinghamshire had not been at their best with the ball on the opening day. They looked better for a night’s reflection, yet most of the damage suffered by Somerset was to some degree self-inflicted.Of the four wickets to fall in adding 58 before lunch, nightwatchman Jack Leach cut the first ball of the day straight to backward point, after which James Rew fell into a trap set on the leg side as his impressive 166 ended with him athletically caught behind pulling.Tom Banton, chasing a wide one, and Archie Vaughan, nibbling outside off stump, gave Joe Clarke two much easier catches in his latest tour of duty keeping wicket, this time because Kyle Verreynne is back home in South Africa for an awards ceremony. Migael Pretorius popped back a tame return catch for Calvin Harrison soon after lunch.Craig Overton’s 31 not out was the third highest score in an innings dominated by Rew’s 313-run fourth-wicket stand with Abell (156). Jake Ball, the former Nottinghamshire quick, made 24 against his old mates before chipping back a catch to Liam Patterson-White after 41 were added for the last wicketOpening a Nottinghamshire innings for the 100th time together – matching the feats of Chris Broad and Tim Robinson, and Darren Bicknell and Jason Gallian as the only opening pairs to reach that milestone for the county since 1960 – Haseeb and Ben Slater were quickly parted, Slater falling to the eighth ball of the innings, shouldering arms to a ball from Craig Overton that clipped his off stump.Yet it took another 28 overs for the Somerset attack to make a second incision. McCann was looking to match Hameed, who had just completed an 87-ball half-century, when Ball offered him a delivery wide of off stump. It was a boundary for the taking to the short side of the square but he flashed at the ball and it took the edge, Rew having no problem taking the catch.If this represented a potential opening for Somerset, though, it was not one that offered any more than a glimpse of light, as Hameed and Clarke negotiated a safe passage through the 25 overs that remained.Hameed survived a chance on 91, albeit a difficult one, when he drove a ball back hard at Pretorius, who instinctively flung out a hand but could only prevent runs. The Nottinghamshire skipper celebrated his reprieve by lofting Vaughan’s off spin down the ground, not cleanly but with enough power to beat the fielder and the boundary for his second six, then patiently waiting on 99 to drive the same bowler to the long-on boundary for his 15th four and his 18th first-class century.

The New York Yankees have not run the bases well during the 2024 postseason. During Game 2 of the ALCS against the Cleveland Guardians, both Anthony Rizzo and Jazz Chisholm had lapses on the base path that resulted in outs.

In Thursday's Game 3, it was Jose Trevino who made a baserunning mistake.

After Trevino opened the scoring with an RBI single, he found himself taking a lead off first base. Guardians starter Matthew Boyd caught him frozen in his tracks with a pickoff move that immediately sent Trevino back to the dugout after a brief rundown between first and second.

After the catcher gave Cleveland a free out, Yankees radio announcer John Sterling couldn't hide his disdain.

"How do you like that? … And where was Trevino going? I said they had to play a clean game, already it's dirty," said Sterling. "That's awful. And also, because Trevino's really slow, where is he running to?"

In a postseason series, teams can't afford to give away free outs. The Yankees have done just that three times in the last two games, prompting Sterling's frustrated call. A chance to string a big inning together was swiftly taken away by Trevino's costly baserunning mistake, and Cleveland took a 2–1 lead shortly thereafter.

For all the superstars playing in the Premier League, often the most crucial member of the team is the manager. No wonder, then, that some of them are paid the big bucks. Of course, some bosses earn more than others, but what do managers’ pay packets look like?

Based on the latest reports, here are the details of how much the current top-flight managers earn. As you might expect, there are some eye-watering sums here, so brace yourselves.

Rank

Manager

Club

Wage per year

Pep Guardiola

Man City

£20m

Mikel Arteta

Arsenal

£10m

Unai Emery

Aston Villa

£8m

Thomas Frank

Tottenham

£8m

Arne Slot

Liverpool

£6.6m

Ruben Amorim

Man Utd

£6.5m

Eddie Howe

Newcastle

£6m

David Moyes

Everton

£5m

Nuno Santo

West Ham

£4.5m

Enzo Maresca

Chelsea

£4.2m

Oliver Glasner

Crystal Palace

£4m

Marco Silva

Fulham

£4m

Sean Dyche

Nottingham Forest

£3.9m

Daniel Farke

Leeds

£2m

Regis Le Bris

Sunderland

£2m

Scott Parker

Burnley

£1.6m

Rob Edwards

Wolves

£1.5m

Andoni Iraola

Bournemouth

£1.5m

Fabian Hurzeler

Brighton

£1.5m

Keith Andrews

Brentford

£1.3m

20 Keith Andrews (Brentford) Annual wage: £1.3m per year

Beginning the countdown is Keith Andrews, who took up his first senior managerial role with Brentford ahead of the 2025/26 season and is on £1.3m per year as Bees boss.

Previously a set-piece coach under Thomas Frank, Andrews made the step up to manager after Frank left for Spurs and signed a three-year deal.

19 Fabian Hurzeler (Brighton) Annual wage: £1.5m per year

Fabian Hurzeler became the youngest permanent head coach in Premier League history in 2024 when he took over at Brighton from German side St Pauli in 2024.

Aged just 31 at the time, Hurzeler has impressed on the south coast and picks up a salary of £1.5m per season. His current deal runs until 2027.

18 Andoni Iraola (Bournemouth) Annual wage: £1.5m per year

Andoni Iraola has been doing a brilliant job at Bournemouth since joining from Rayo Vallecano, however, he is thought to be one of the lowest paid managers in the division.

Iraola had been making £1m per season under his initial two-year deal with the Cherries and is now thought to be on £1.5m per year.

17 Rob Edwards (Wolves) Annual wage: £1.5m per year

Wolves had to pay Middlesbrough around £3m in compensation to appoint Rob Edwards in November, with the Old Gold handing their former defender a deal until 2029 at Molineux.

Edwards’ previous Premier League experience as a manager came with Luton Town, and he’s the final boss thought to be on £1.5m per season.

16 Scott Parker (Burnley) Annual wage: £1.6m per year

After winning promotion with Burnley in 2025, Scott Parker picks up a reported £1.6m per season at Turf Moor.

The Clarets had an unbelievable defensive record in 2024/25 under the former Tottenham and West Ham midfielder, who is under contract with Burnley until 2027.

15 Regis Le Bris (Sunderland) Annual wage: £2m per year

Regis Le Bris guided Sunderland back to the Premier League in his first season at the Stadium of Light, and his Black Cats deal is worth £2m per season.

Sunderland splashed the cash in the transfer market on new signings ahead of their top flight return, and Le Bris’ salary also increased after their playoff victory at Wembley.

14 Daniel Farke (Leeds) Annual wage: £2m per year

Daniel Farke won his third Championship title in 2025, this time with Leeds United. The Whites picked up 100 points in the second tier, with Farke also previosuly guiding the club to Wembley in 2024.

The German is under contract at Elland Road until 2027.

13 Sean Dyche (Nottingham Forest) Annual wage: £3.9m per year

After a turbulent start to the 2025/26 season, Sean Dyche was appointed as manager of a club where he spent some of his academy days. Both Nuno Santo and Ange Postecoglou lost their jobs, leading to the former Everton boss being handed the reins and being given a lovely £3.9m a year salary in the process.

Expect more defensive football than the heavy-metal mess supporters got under Postecoglou.

12 Marco Silva (Fulham) Annual wage: £4m per year

Marco Silva has helped establish Fulham as a stable Premier League outfit since securing the Championship title and achieving promotion, further solidifying his position in the eyes of owner Shahid Khan.

Since taking charge at Craven Cottage in 2021, the former Everton boss has worked wonders, earning a substantial £4m salary along with an annual bonus of £500,000.

11 Oliver Glasner (Crystal Palace) Annual wage: £4m per year

Oliver Glasner was appointed as Crystal Palace boss on a deal until 2026 and has been earning a salary totalling around £4m a year.

The 2022 Europa League winner has had a promising start to his career at Selhurst Park, with the Eagles steering well clear of relegation bother in his first half-season before famously lifting the FA Cup in 2025.

The way Glasner’s going, this is just the beginning for him in south London.

Looking ahead to the January transfer window, Derby County and John Eustace have now been told to go and sign a Premier League gem who was previously a playoff hero.

Eustace bemoans "poor" Derby attack

Whilst they did manage to keep up their current run of just one defeat in their last six Championship games, Eustace was left frustrated at Derby’s decision-making going forward in a 1-1 draw with Charlton on Tuesday night. After James Bree’s opening strike, the Rams left it until the 79th-minute to find an equaliser through Matt Clarke and are now one point above the dropzone.

Having his say on the draw, Eustace told reporters: “I thought it was a difficult first half, though we did get into some really good areas, especially early on.

“In the final third again, decision-making was poor tonight, so it’s something that we’ve got to keep improving on. We got in some good areas, and then we were disappointing in the manner we conceded.

“When you go a goal down, especially at home, there’s always a lot of pressure on you and quite rightly so. We weren’t happy coming in at half-time and the fans weren’t happy. I thought the lads showed great character after half-time to change our style and play a lot more football throughout the second half.”

Results could see the Rams drop into the relegation zone in the coming weeks and that will be the greatest concern at Pride Park after avoiding the drop by just one point last season.

Alas, there is still time for things to change and the January transfer window could play a big part in that, especially if the Rams follow the advice of one of their former players.

Lee Hendrie tells Derby to go and get Watson

Speaking to Football League World, former Derby star Lee Hendrie told Eustace to go and get Tommy Watson in January.

After scoring the winner in the play-off final to send Sunderland up last season, the young winger completed a move to Brighton & Hove Albion, but has struggled for game time ever since. Now, Hendrie believes that Derby should hand Watson a January loan move.

A loan move back to the Championship would certainly make sense for the 19-year-old and as Derby set sights on survival, they should listen to Hendrie’s request.

William Saliba explained his decision to sign a new Arsenal contract and snub Real Madrid despite "lacking trophies" with the Gunners. The French defender could have chased the bright lights of Madrid. He could have swapped north London for the glamour of the Santiago Bernabeu. But when Los Blancos came knocking, Arsenal’s defensive powerhouse slammed the door shut; and he has no regrets.

• Saliba: The French rock who turned down Real’s call

  In a world where loyalty is rare, Saliba’s decision sent a clear message: his heart belongs to Arsenal. Before penning his new deal, the 24-year-old defender had just 18 months left on his contract, and Los Blancos were circling like hawks. However, Arsenal’s hierarchy moved fast. Sporting director Andrea Berta, who also played a key role in tying down Gabriel Magalhaes and young gems like Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly, treated this renewal like a mission of national importance. The result? A massive win for the Gunners. The CIES Football Observatory now lists Saliba as Arsenal’s most valuable asset, worth between €89m and €103m (£77m/$103m–£89m/$119m). A staggering figure for a player for whom Arsenal spent just £27m ($36m) in 2019. 

Advertisement

• AFP
  

  ‘i feel at home here’ – Saliba’s heartfelt confession

  For Saliba, the decision wasn’t about money or fame. It was about belonging.

  "I wanted to continue at Arsenal because I feel at home there […] I wanted to settle there in the long term," he told reporters.

  Despite Arsenal’s resurgence under Arteta, major silverware has eluded them since the 2020 FA Cup triumph. For Saliba, that drought burns deep. 

  “I’m lacking trophies but they will come quickly because we have a good manager and a good squad,” he insisted. 

  However, his determination is fuelled by unfinished business. While players like Trent Alexander-Arnold have traded the Premier League for Madrid after lifting multiple trophies, the Arsenal defender says he can’t leave empty-handed. 

  "He won some titles with Liverpool," he said. "Me, I didn't win anything here except… only the Community Shield, so yeah. I've done nothing for this club to think about leaving. I want to stay here and win a lot of trophies. I love this club. I cannot leave this club without giving them something back. I‘ve won nothing. So, yeah, my first choice was to stay here and win everything first."

  It’s a statement that will delight Arsenal fans and underline the culture Arteta has built: one of hunger, loyalty, and accountability.

• Saliba's new deal promises a massive wage hike

  Saliba’s consistency over the past two seasons has made him untouchable in Arteta’s system. The manager's trust in him is total, and so is the club’s investment. The Frenchman’s new deal reportedly earns him £250,000 a week, making him the third-highest-paid player at the Emirates, behind Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz. Arsenal’s wage bill has climbed to £328m ($438m) per year, with seven stars now earning £200k or more weekly, including summer signing Viktor Gyokeres. But the board see it as money well spent, a statement of intent from a club ready to challenge for everything.

  However, Saliba's journey hasn’t been a fairy tale. When Arteta took over in December 2019, the young centre-back was cast aside, loaned out three times to Saint-Etienne, Nice, and Marseille. But instead of sulking, he fought.

  "Arteta was straight to me," he said. "The first week he told me that for him I was not ready to play. He told me this. I was training and I was playing with the Under 21s. At the end of December, he told me that it was better for me to go on loan rather than stay here and not play. I was angry because I needed to play.

  "He sent me on loan and I was in touch with (then sporting director) Edu when he was here. He was talking with my agent. After the first loan, he said we needed one more loan. I didn't give up and now I'm here in front of you playing for Arsenal. I didn't give up and now I'm here in front of you playing for Arsenal."

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• Getty
  

  Saliba chasing glory, but only in north London

  As he prepares for France’s World Cup qualifiers against Azerbaijan and Iceland, Saliba knows his heart beats red and white. He isn’t chasing glory abroad; he’s building it in London. In an era of short-term loyalty and quick exits, Saliba’s commitment is refreshing. And if his words are anything to go by, he won’t stop until that heartbeat echoes under the confetti of a Premier League or Champions League title.

Tottenham are in the market for three new signings before the imminent transfer deadline on September 1, with Thomas Frank eyeing a new centre-back, winger, and, perhaps most importantly, a new number 10.

Spurs were a thorn in Man City’s side last weekend as the Lilywhites once again established themselves as Pep Guardiola’s bogey team, coming away from Eastlands with an impressive 2-0 win.

However, off the field, City are reluctant to sell Savinho – a player who Frank personally wants – to the north Londoners and are making it very difficult.

Tottenham opened negotiations for Savinho over a fortnight ago, and since then, chairman Daniel Levy has reportedly seen a £42 million offer rejected whilst City take a public stance that he’s not for sale.

That being said, Levy is apparently refusing to give up on signing the 21-year-old, and Spurs are ready to bid over £60 million to tempt the Sky Blues into selling in the next few days.

Unfortunately for Frank, as it is this late in the window, a deal for Savinho is also dependent on Guardiola bringing in an elite replacement – so Levy is counting on a dramatic last-gasp transfer domino to land the Brazilian.

Alternatively, Spurs do have other options to bolster their wide area, and one of them is wantaway Atalanta star Ademola Lookman.

The Nigerian, who won last 2024’s African Player of the Year award, scored a stunning hat-trick against Bayer Leverkusen in last year’s Europa League final to end their unprecedented 23/24 unbeaten run.

Lookman also bagged a brilliant 20 goals in all competitions last season, but he’s publicly admitted to lodging a transfer request as the versatile attacker looks to seal a move elsewhere.

Tottenham offered Ademola Lookman as Savinho alternative

According to reliable football.london correspondent Alasdair Gold, Tottenham are among the sides who’ve been offered Lookman, and he could be a great alternative to Savinho.

As well as being able to play in the latter’s position out wide, the 27-year-old can operate as a second striker, centre-forward and even as a playmaker when required – so this could be attractive to Frank.

His proven goal return and £43 million valuation are obvious temptations too, and Fabrizio Romano has claimed that a move to the Premier League is a real possibility for the player.

قلب منتخب اليابان، الطاولة على نظيره البرازيل، ليفوز عليه بثلاثية مقابل هدفين، في المباراة الودية التي جمعتهما اليوم، السبت.

كان منتخب السيلساو قد حقق فوزًا كبيرًا على حساب كوريا الجنوبية بخماسية نظيفة، في إطار استعدادات السامبا لنهائيات كأس العالم 2026.

بينما استطاع المنتخب الياباني، قلب الطاولة على نظيره البرازيلي واستطاع أن يحقق فوزًا بثلاثية، بعدما كان متأخرًا في النتيجة بثنائية، لينتهي اللقاء بنتيجة 3/2 لصالح اليابان.

وجاء أول أهداف المباراة عن طريق باولو هنريكي في الدقيقة 26 ثم أضاف نجم آرسنال، جابرييل مارتينيللي، الهدف الثاني للبرازيل، في الدقيقة 32.

اقرأ أيضًا | الاتحاد البرازيلي يعرض على أنشيلوتي تمديد عقده.. والمدرب يرد

وبدأ المنتخب الياباني الشوط الثاني مختلفًا تمامًا، إذ استطاع أن يسجل 3 أهداف، جاء أولها عن طريق تاكومي مينامينو في الدقيقة 52.

ثم أحرز كايتو ناكامورا هدف التعادل في الدقيقة 62، ثم سجل أياسي أويدا الهدف الثالث والأخير في اللقاء بالدقيقة 71.

ورغم أن منتخب البرازيل استحوذ على الكرة في أغلب فترات المباراة، إلا أن منتخب اليابان سدد 15 مرة على المرمى، فيما سدد رجال أنشيلوتي 7 تسديدات.

وجاءت نسبة استحواذ منتخب البرازيل 63% بعدما مرر الكرة 726 مرة بدقة وصلت إلى 90%، فيما جاءت نسبة استحواذ اليابان 33% بعدما مرر الكرة 349 مرة بدقة وصلت إلى 84%. أهداف مباراة البرازيل واليابان وديًا

The Saudi Pro League is renowned for its wealth and ability to give players huge wages, but who are the most expensive signings in the competition’s history?

European football remains the dominant force in the modern game, with the likes of the Premier League, La Liga and Bundesliga generally possessing the best players in the world.

In recent years, the Saudi Pro League has increasingly come to the fore, offering footballers eye-watering weekly wages and tempting them away from European clubs in the process.

To some, it is a sub-standard league where players go to earn big money in the twilight of their careers, but others feel it could only continue to grow in the coming years, especially if it continues to attract some of the biggest names in the sport.

There have been plenty of big-money signings to Saudi clubs since its rise to prominence – here are the 15 most expensive to date.

Saudi Pro League: Most expensive transfers
Rank	Player	Transfer	Date	Fee (£)
1	Neymar	PSG to Al-Hilal	Aug 2023	£77.6m
2	Jhon Duran	Aston Villa to Al-Nassr	Jan 2025	£71m
3	Mateo Retegui	Atalanta to Al-Qadsiah	July 2025	£57m
4	Darwin Nunez	Liverpool to Al-Hilal	Aug 2025	£56.6m
5	Malcom	Zenit to Al-Hilal	Jul 2023	£51.4m
6	Otavio	Porto to Al-Nassr	Aug 2023	£51.1m
7	Moussa Diaby	Aston Villa to Al-Ittihad	Jul 2024	£50m
8	Ruben Neves	Wolves to Al-Hilal	Jul 2023	£47m
9	Aleksandar Mitrovic	Fulham to Al-Hilal	Aug 2023	£46m
10	Galeno	Porto to Al-Ahli	Jan 2025	£41.6m
=11	Ivan Toney	Brentford to Al-Ahli	Aug 2024	£40m
=11	Fabinho	Liverpool to Al-Ittihad	Jul 2023	£40m
12	Mohamed Simakan	RB Leipzig to Al-Nassr	Sep 2024	£37.9m
13	Sergej Milinkovic-Savic	Lazio to Al-Hilal	Jul 2023	£34m
14	Marcos Leonardo	Benfica to Al-Hilal	Sep 2024	£33.7m

15

Marcos Leonardo

Benfica to Al-Hilal (£33.7m)

Kicking off the list is Brazilian youngster Marcos Leonardo, who joined Al-Hilal from Benfica earlier this year in a deal worth a reported €40m (£33.7m).

The 21-year-old forward was previously with Santos in his homeland, but he clearly felt that a Saudi move was best for his development at this early stage in his career. Only time will tell if it is the right call, but it has been rare to see such a young footballer head there.

14

Sergej Milinkovic-Savic

Lazio to Al-Hilal (£34m)

For a long time, it seemed inevitable that Sergej Milinkovic-Savic would end up at one of the best teams in Europe, having stood out as such a dominant performer for Lazio, combining talent and physicality in midfield.

It came as a huge shock to see him join Al-Hilal last year in a deal reportedly worth £34m, especially as he was still only in his late 20s at that point. Will he return to Europe in the future?

13

Mohamed Simakan

RB Leipzig to Al-Nassr (£37.9m)

Mohamed Simakan made the decision to leave RB Leipzig and join Al-Nassr in September 2024, in a move worth €45m (£37.9m), linking up with Cristiano Ronaldo in the process.

Only in his mid 20s, the centre-back’s decision to move away from Europe arguably surprised some, but it is still early days, and the club’s success on the domestic and continental stages may determine whether he’ll come to regret saying goodbye to the Bundesliga.

Ahead of the 2026 World Cup, the Frenchman will certainly be looking to make an impression as he seeks a first senior international cap.

12

Fabinho

Liverpool to Al-Ittihad (£40m)

Liverpool enjoyed a glorious period in their history under Jurgen Klopp, winning plenty of trophies, and Fabinho played a massive role in the Reds’ success.

A world-class No 6 at his peak, the Brazilian’s ability started to wane in the 2022/23 season, with his body no longer allowing him to cover ground like he once did.

A Saudi move felt like the best outcome for all parties, and Fabinho moved to Al-Ittihad for a reported £40m the following summer.

11

Ivan Toney

Brentford to Al-Ahli (£40m)

Much like Milinkovic-Savic, Ivan Toney felt like a player who was only on the up at Brentford, with a move to one of the Premier League’s biggest teams often mooted.

Instead, the England international left the Bees to join Al-Ahli in the summer of 2024 in a move that surprised many, even amid his contract issues in west London.

Reports of his eventual transfer fee were mixed, but most appear to indicate Brentford received a sum of around £40m.

10

Galeno

Porto to Al-Ahli (£41.6m)

Former Porto star Galeno was one of two major signings in the January 2025 market for the Saudi Pro League, with the winger joining Al-Ahli for €50m (£41.6m).

Galeno had scored eight in 18 appearances for Porto before departing for the Middle East, and has already written his name into the history books, scoring in the AFC Champions League final against Kawasaki Frontale.

His arrival marks Al-Ahli’s most expensive signing, replacing Ivan Toney.

9

Aleksandar Mitrovic

Fulham to Al-Hilal (£46m)

Many players who have moved to the Saudi Pro League have been individuals whose peaks have been and gone, but Aleksandar Mitrovic went there while in his prime.

He was just 28 when he opted to trade Fulham for Al-Hilal, but he is no doubt reaping the financial rewards. Mitrovic’s transfer fee was officially undisclosed, with the Cottagers indicating they had received a “club-record” fee. While it was thought to be close to £50m, a sum of £46m appears to be the most widely mentioned.

8

Ruben Neves

Wolves to Al-Hilal (£47m)

Ruben Neves’ move to Saudi Arabia has to stand out as one of the biggest surprises having grown into such a key player at Wolves, while still only being in his mid-20s.

It looked like the Portugal star had the pick of his clubs given the natural talent he possesses in midfield, but the race for his signature was won by Al-Hilal, who paid £47m for Neves’ services.

7

Moussa Diaby

Aston Villa to Al-Ittihad (£50m)

It looked like Aston Villa had signed themselves a gem of a player in Moussa Diaby, with the winger catching the eye with his quality and end product during his one season at Villa Park.

His campaign did fizzle out a bit as it went on, but few would have expected to see him ditch the Midlands side for Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Ittihad, with the Villans receiving around £50m in the process.

It’s hard not to feel as though the Frenchman is wasting the best years of his career in a lesser division, although the financial aspects of the move are undeniably appealing.

6

Otavio

Porto to Al-Nassr (£51.1m)

Otavio was always a highly rated figure for Porto, and became a key part of the Portugal setup before opting for a Saudi move instead of a European switch, which cost Al-Nassr €60m (£51.1m) in August 2023.

He’s not set the world alight in the Middle East, scoring just one goal and supplying five assists in 2024/25.

Liverpool are reportedly eyeing a move for an exciting winger compared to Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr, with Arsenal and Barcelona also in the mix.

Mohamed Salah’s struggles this season continued on Sunday afternoon, with the Egyptian largely ineffective in Sunday’s 3-0 defeat away to Manchester City in the Premier League.

Liverpool legend Steve Nicol has now even called for the 33-year-old to be dropped by Arne Slot, following a dramatic dropoff from last year’s title-winning brilliance.

“The guy is not giving you anything! You could look at it the other way and say: ‘He’s going to be away for two or three months so we may as well try and figure something out now. Why am I going to wait on a guy who’s giving me nothing? I need to be proactive here. I can’t just sit on my hands and let it happen and hope and pray that all of a sudden somebody waves a magic wand and he becomes the Egyptian King again.’

“I absolutely think he needs to do something and my own person opinion, I would sit him.”

Salah’s form is increasingly showing the importance of Liverpool finding a successor to him, and it looks as though Fofana could be a leading option.

Liverpool keen on signing Malick Fofana

According to Sport [via Sport Witness], Liverpool are tussling Arsenal and Barcelona for the signing of Lyon’s Malick Fofana, who has emerged as one of the most talented young attacking players in Ligue 1.

It is claimed that Barca have made contact with the 20-year-old’s agent over a potential switch, but the Reds and the Gunners are showing the “most interest” in him from the Premier League. He could cost as much £44m, with Lyon refusing to budge on their asking price.

It is easy to see why Liverpool like Fofana so much, with scout Jacek Kulig comparing him to Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Jr, as well as describing him as “magnificent”.

The Belgian is a left winger by trade, so he could be seen as an upgrade or long-term replacement for Cody Gakpo, but he can also shine on the opposite flank, allowing him to provide competition for Salah.

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By
Angus Sinclair

Nov 10, 2025

Fofana has already bagged 17 goals and eight assists in 74 appearances for Lyon, and those numbers should only improve as he matures with his end product.

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