Deadline-Day Moves: The RSL's shiny new additions

Following on from last week’s high-profile signings of Joao Cancelo and Ivan Toney, Roshn Saudi League clubs were busy right up until Monday's transfer-window deadline, with a number of exciting deals going through before the cut off.

Here, we highlight 10 of the newest additions to the RSL from those buzzing final 24 hours of business, as teams stocked their squads ahead of the resumption of the 2024-25 season next week.

Chris Smalling (Al Fayha)

The former Manchester United defender joins Al Fayha from AS Roma, where he spent five years and won the 2022 UEFA Europa Conference League (he was also runner-up in the 2022-23 UEFA Europa League). Smalling, 34, played 155 times for the Serie A club, scoring 10 goals. At United, the centre-back was part of two English Premier League-winning squads and has 31 caps with England, too. Also represented Fulham in the country’s top tier.

Danilo Pereira (Al Ittihad)

A regular at Paris Saint-Germain, the versatile defender enjoyed a fruitful four years in the French capital, winning three Ligue 1 titles and two French Cups. Able to operate in central midfield, Pereira has also collected top-flight trophies at Benfica, while he was part of the Portugal squad who captured the 2016 Euros crown and the 2018-19 UEFA Nationsl League. Aged 32, he has 72 caps for his national team.

Daniel Podence (Al Shabab)

English Premier League fans will be very familiar with the Portuguese forward, who has concluded an impressive four years at Wolverhampton Wanderers by signing for Al Shabab. Podence, 28, spent last season on loan at Greek side Olympiacos, the club from whom he joined Wolves, and marked his return to Molineux this campaign by featuring in three of the team’s opening four matches. In 108 appearances for Wolves, he scored 16 goals and recorded nine assists.

Mohamed Simakan (Al Nassr)

Keen to add some defensive reinforcements to a backline that already includes Aymeric Laporte, Al Nassr opted for the impressive acquisition of Simakan from Germany’s RB Leipzig. The Frenchman, 24, had become a fan favourite at the Bundesliga club, playing 122 times since his debut in 2021, scoring seven goals and providing 13 assists. Predominantly a centre-back, Simakan can operate also at right-back.

Joao Costa (Al Ettifaq)

The AS Roma-RSL transfer route proved a popular one this summer, with Costa the latest to chart that particular path. The Brazilian winger, 19, came to the Italian club’s youth academy from Corinthians in 2021 and, having worked his way up, eventually made his senior-team debut last November. Costa departs the capital after making five appearances in all, while last year he represented the Portugal U-19 team despite being born in Brazil.

Marcos Leonardo (Al Hilal)

The Benfica connection grows ever stronger at the reigning RSL champions, with Leonardo adding to the Portuguese club’s lineage at Al Hilal alongside manager Jorge Jesus and fellow new signing Cancelo. The Brazilian forward, 21, moved to the Primeira Liga side only in January, but still managed to net eight goals in 17 top-tier matches – the last of which came last week. Has represented Brazil are various age-group levels.

Brad Young (Al Orobah)

Another British footballer to land in the RSL, the 21-year-old striker arrives at newly promoted Al Orobah as the leading scorer in Welsh football last season. Young, a graduate from Premier League club Aston Villa’s academy, won the 2023-24 Cymru Premier's golden boot after his 22 goals fired The New Saints to the Welsh double. Scored twice this summer on his European debut to grant TNS their first-ever participation in the UEFA Conference League’s group stage.

Steven Bergwijn (Al Ittihad)

The RSL welcomes a second former Tottenham Hotspur winger, with the Netherlands wideman joining Damac’s Georges-Kevin N'Koudou in the Kingdom. Bergwijn, 26, did not enjoy the greatest time in the Premier League following a highly touted switch from PSV Eindhoven in 2020, however he recaptured his form since returning to Holland with Ajax. Soon made captain, he scored 29 times in 80 matches for the Amsterdam side and was part of the Netherlands squad at this summer’s UEFA Euro 2024.

Robert Renan (Al Shabab)

Brazil’s deep affinity with the RSL sustains with the loan addition of much-rated centre-back Renan at Al Shabab. Having begun his career at Corinthians in his homeland, the defender moved to Russia’s Zenit Saint Petersburg last year on a five-year contract. He featured 13 times in the top flight before being loaned in January to Brazil’s Internacional. Still only 20, he was called into Brazil's first-team squad in March for a friendly against Morocco.

Angelo Gabriel (Al Nassr)

Renan won’t have to look too far across Riyadh for a compatriot seeking to settle quickly, as Al Nassr bolstered their attack with the acquisition of 19-year-old winger Angelo. The Brazilian, who arrives from Premier League side Chelsea, came through the ranks at Santos and made his debut at the barely believable age of 15. Ultimately, he made 105 league appearances for the club before signing for Chelsea in July last year. Spent last season on loan at Ligue 1 side Strasbourg, where he featured 21 times in the French top division.