Another bunch of big names and promising talents have made a transfer to Roshn Saudi League (RSL) teams in time for 2025/26, catching the eye of Fantasy managers.
Here we take a look at eight leading lights who are worthy of consideration in your initial squads.
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Darwin Nunez (FWD) – Liverpool to Al Hilal
By signing Darwin Nunez (10.0m), Al-Hilal have landed a real Golden Boot contender. The 26-year-old arrives at Kingdom Arena following three seasons at Liverpool, a time of 25 goals and 19 assists despite only 49 Premier League starts.
Before Merseyside, the Uruguay international helped Almeria win promotion to La Liga and had a breakout 2021/22 season at Benfica, grabbing 26 goals in 28 league matches, plus six in the Champions League.
However, his pace, direct running and powerful shooting ability couldn’t get established amongst the likes of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino, Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo.
Darwin’s most productive season came in 2023/24, when his 11 goals and 11 assists brought in 132 Fantasy points. His expected goal involvement (xGI) per 90 minutes was 0.75.
| MINS | GOALS | ASSISTS | XG | XGI | XGI PER 90 | FPL PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024/25 | 1,684 | 5 | 3 | 5.76 | 6.27 | 0.45 | 66 |
| 2023/24 | 2,033 | 11 | 11 | 16.23 | 20.60 | 0.81 | 132 |
| 2022/23 | 1,684 | 9 | 5 | 12.15 | 14.81 | 0.75 | 100 |
Because of Salah, he didn’t take Liverpool’s penalties. But he has a good record from 12 yards, missing only one of 13 throughout his career.
Darwin has played most of his football as a central striker but can stretch defences with his pace on the flanks, being particularly effective at cutting in from the left. Should Aleksandar Mitrovic (10.0m) stay at Al Hilal, a strong partnership could form.
Theo Hernandez (DEF) – AC Milan to Al Hilal
Also joining the Club World Cup quarter-finalists, for a fee of around €25m, is attacking left-back Theo Hernandez (6.5m)
The France international’s six stellar years at AC Milan included Scudetto success and club captaincy.
After moving to Spain at the age of two, Hernandez started out at Atletico Madrid and played for Almeria, Real Madrid and Real Sociedad before being persuaded by Paolo Madini to join the Rossoneri in 2019.
He soon became one of Europe’s most exciting full-backs, earning a reputation for his buccaneering runs, high-tempo dribbling, sweeping crosses and eye for goal.
In 2020/21 he made the most successful dribbles among Serie A defenders (73) and, the following year, had more goal contributions (11) than the others. This January, he broke Maldini’s record of being their all-time top scoring defender, ending up on 31.
| MINS | GOALS | ASSISTS | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024/25 | 2,696 | 4 | 3 |
| 2023/24 | 2,795 | 5 | 4 |
| 2022/23 | 2,775 | 4 | 3 |
| 2021/22 | 2,714 | 5 | 6 |
| 2020/21 | 2,935 | 7 | 6 |
| 2019/20 | 2,818 | 6 | 5 |
Capped 38 times, Hernandes played in the 2022 World Cup final penalty shootout defeat to Argentina.
In RSL Fantasy, defenders with attacking output are highly sought after. At 27, Hernandez is still in his prime so, combined with Joao Cancelo (6.0m) on the other side, Al Hilal now have formidable quality in wide areas.
Inigo Martinez (DEF) – FC Barcelona to Al-Nassr
Capturing 34-year-old Inigo Martinez (5.5m) on a free transfer is a real coup for Jorge Jesus’ side. His two successful seasons at Barcelona brought a league title and some Champions League semi-final action.
An experienced and dependable rock blessed with fantastic technique, he was Barca’s only naturally left-footed centre-back, effective at starting left-sided attacking moves, punching the ball into midfield and switching it to Lamine Yamal on the opposite flank.
Though not quite 6ft tall, Martinez is strong in the air. From a Fantasy perspective, his greatest appeal lies in his threat from set-pieces. 28 career goals is impressive for a centre-back.
Joao Felix (FWD) – Chelsea to Al Nassr
Once the second-most expensive teenager in world football, Al Nassr will be hoping that Joao Felix (7.5m) finally realises his unfulfilled potential.
Felix first broke onto the scene at Benfica, where his pace, skill and finishing alerted Europe’s leading clubs. After 15 goals in 26 appearances during 2018/19, he moved to Atletico Madrid for £113 million.
Yet none of the four La Liga seasons brought more than eight goals. Loan stints at Chelsea and Barcelona were unsuccessful, though he signed for the Blues permanently last summer. By January, he’d already been sent out to AC Milan for a bit.
Such underperformance is perplexing because he has all the attributes of an elite striker. Admittedly, injuries have played a slight part in Felix only once exceeding 30 league matches in a season.
He has positional flexibility, primarily being used behind a number nine, but with a history of being deployed on the left wing, allowing him to cut inside and shoot.
Stats courtesy of Transfermarkt
Playing alongside his international teammate Cristiano Ronaldo (14.0m) should help his productivity, and early signs are good. The 25-year-old scored on his debut against Al Ittihad, set up by CR7 himself.
Then again, he’s unlikely to be taking penalties, despite a decent record of nine goals from 11.
Kingsley Coman (MID) – Bayern Munich to Al Nassr
Let’s stick with Al Nassr for one more. Surely their title credentials have been strengthened by the £30m capture of winger Kingsley Coman (8.0m).
A decade has been spent at Bayern Munich, accumulating nine goals and six assists in last season’s 45 matches in all competitions.
The 29-year-old won nine Bundesliga titles and the 2019/20 Champions League, memorably scoring in the final against former club Paris Saint-Germain.
Coman began his career in the French capital and has gone on to score eight times in 58 international appearances.
Stats courtesy of Transfermarkt
Known for his pace and power, Coman is a dynamic wide player capable of playing on either flank. With a strong record of goals and assists, Ronaldo, Felix and Sadio Mane (10.0m) will be rubbing their hands.
Mateo Retegui – Atalanta to Al Qadsiah
In a deal worth over £56m, Al Qadsiah will be hoping that Mateo Retegui (9.5m) can bring the goals for a strong title challenge.
After all, he was last season’s top Serie A scorer, delivering 25 in 36 appearances for third-placed Atalanta.
Retegui has had an unusual career path. The son of a field hockey player, the Argentinian-born forward was plying his trade on loan at Tigre when first called up to the Italian national team by Roberto Mancini, to the bemusement of the Italian press. He barely spoke Italian but qualified for the Azzurri by virtue of his grandparents’ nationality.
He immediately rewarded Mancini’s faith by scoring in his first two internationals. In a debut Serie A season at struggling Genoa, seven goals in 29 outings convinced La Dea to swoop for him last summer. The 26-year-old’s prospects exploded in Bergamo, winning the Capocannoniere award.
“Retegui has had an extraordinary season. He has scored with his right foot, his left, his head – thanks also to the contribution of the team. His goals have been decisive for our campaign.” – Gian Piero Gasperino, Atalanta’s 2024/25 head coach
Retegui is a striker in the purest sense, relying on his pace to lead the line as a central spearhead. He is also a strong penalty taker, having scored 17 of 20 overall spot-kicks.
He’s joining Al Qadsiah to replace Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who bagged 17 goals and three assists last term.
Enzo Millot – Stuttgart to Al Ahli
A creative midfielder of high promise, Enzo Millot (6.0m) arrives from Stuttgart in a deal of around £30m.
He broke into their first team in 2022/23 and came into his own during the next campaign, playing an instrumental role in his side’s third-place finish behind Bayer Leverkusen.
A creative player with a wand of a left foot, 23-year-old Millot still has plenty of room for development. He represented France at the 2024 Olympics and scored in the final, produced two goals and three assists in last season’s Champions League and scored a brace as Stuttgart won the DFB Pokal cup in May.
Boasting playmaking proficiency, Millot will create chances aplenty for Al Ahli’s main striker Ivan Toney (10.5m) and could well reach double figures himself. In fact, he’s already scored a debut goal.
Alexandre Lacazette – Lyon to NEOM FC
Finally, newly-promoted NEOM FC have signed former France international Alexandre Lacazette (7.0m) on a free transfer.
The 34-year-old produced 201 goals and 55 assists across 391 matches in two spells at Lyon, either side of five seasons at Arsenal, where he netted 71 goals in 206 across all competitions.
Rather than being fast, Lacazette’s strength lies in his ability to sniff out goalscoring opportunities and link up play with his teammates. He’s also a proficient penalty taker, dispatching 48 of 57.
Now he gets to reunite with former Lyon teammate Saïd Benrahma (7.5m).
