SigningLab · Annual Report

Signing Accuracy — Saudi Pro League 2025/26

Published on January 12, 2026

Executive Summary

240
Real signings
230
Evaluated
36%
Clubs' average hit rate
42
Successful
122
Unsuccessful

In total we identified 240 real signings by the clubs of Saudi Pro League in the 2025/26 season — academy promotions, loan returns, internal moves and transfers that never went through are excluded. Of these, 230 are included in the hit-rate calculation; 10 are youth investments (under-23 with no game time), classified separately. Signings without relevant minutes in the season count as unsuccessful.

League Analysis

Champions Al-Nassr posted a hit rate of 56% on signings (8 evaluated), holding 3rd place in the accuracy ranking. The bottom four in the table had an average hit rate of 21% on signings — below the league average (36%), highlighting the link between recruitment quality and sporting performance.

Al-Qadisiyah FC leads the accuracy ranking with 73% and Al-Fateh closes the list with 12%. p. over the clubs' decisions).

Club Ranking

ClubLeague positionSigningsEvaluatedSuccessfulFairUnsuccessfulHit rate %SigningLab*
1Al-Qadisiyah FC1111722
73%
100%
2Al-Hilal Saudi FC109441
67%
89%
3Al-Nassr88413
56%
100%
4Al Kholood14º1010253
45%
90%
5Al-Ahli Jeddah87061
43%
100%
6Al-Ittihad FC76132
42%
83%
7NEOM30276912
39%
89%
8Al-Ettifaq44112
38%
100%
9Al Shabab13º1615429
33%
87%
10Al-Fayha10º98134
31%
100%
11Al Khaleej Saihat11º16163310
28%
75%
12Al Taawon1211146
27%
100%
13Al-Hazm15153210
27%
100%
14Al Okhdood17º1212147
25%
83%
15Damac16º15152310
23%
93%
16Al Riyadh15º15141310
18%
93%
17Al Najma18º34341924
16%
91%
18Al-Fateh12º88026
12%
88%

* SigningLab: hit rate of SigningLab’s verdicts (recommend or not recommend) on each club’s evaluated signings, projected at the time of signing.

The difference between Signings and Evaluated are youth investments (under-23 with no game time in the season), classified separately. Signings without relevant minutes are unsuccessful (Did not deliver).

Season Highlights

The ten signings with the greatest technical impact of the season, according to the Player Impact Score (PIS).

PlayerClubPosMinG+AAvg ratingRatingSigningLab
Musab Al JuwayrAl-Qadisiyah FCM25376+117.39Excellent
João FélixAl-NassrF291420+137.75Excellent
Christopher BaahAl-Qadisiyah FCM26793+127.26Excellent
Theo HernándezAl-Hilal Saudi FCD27495+17.08Excellent
Kingsley ComanAl-NassrM256110+117.23Excellent
Karim BenzemaAl-Hilal Saudi FCF7259+27.48Excellent
Saïd BenrahmaNEOMF195110+77.35Excellent
Angelo FulginiAl TaawonM24355+97.25Excellent
Alexandre LacazetteNEOMF258911+46.96Excellent
Leandro AntunesAl RiyadhM12527+07.19Excellent

Methodology

Club assessment — the universe of signings

The report considers exclusively genuine signings for the first-team squad, identified by the player's effective incorporation into the group between seasons. Excluded from the universe are: academy promotions, loan returns, internal administrative moves and transfers recorded but never completed. The aim is to measure the quality of market decisions — and those alone.

Player Impact Score (PIS)

Each evaluated signing receives a score from 0 to 100 that combines four observable technical dimensions: individual performance (average match ratings over the season), output (goals, assists and decisive actions adjusted for game time), collective performance (starting status and correlation with the club's results) and availability (volume of matches, adjusted for interruptions). High-impact players with reduced game time are promoted through an alternative efficiency criterion.

Outcome classification

The rating tiers are: Excellent and Good (successful signings — a full point in the index), Fair (intermediate performance — half a point) and Below expectations / Did not deliver (unsuccessful signings). Two categories sit outside the calculation, for distinct reasons: Injury (a serious injury prevented a fair assessment) and Investment (an under-23 player with low game time — the return depends on development and cannot be counted for or against the club in this cycle). Signings that did not reach relevant game time in the season are classified as unsuccessful, reflecting the sporting cost of the decision.

A note on scope

This is SigningLab's public, simplified model, developed for transparent retrospective market assessment. SigningLab's commercial solutions for partner clubs use a substantially larger set of variables and dedicated predictive mechanisms, and are not fully reflected in this document.

Appendix — Signings by club

* Youth investment (under-23, no game time in the season) — outside the hit-rate calculation.

Al Khaleej Saihat (16 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Anthony Moris33297002Good
Giorgos Masouras322795133Good
Joshua King292309202Good
Majed Omar Kanabah32206601Below expectations
Paolo Fernandes28177242Fair
Bart Schenkeveld21147502Below expectations
Abdullah Al-Hafith31122301Fair
Ahmad Asiri31110900Below expectations
Saleh Al-Amri26107231Fair
Hussain Ahmed Al Issa1232900Did not deliver
Hamad Al-Jayzani2027801Below expectations
Thamer Al Khaibri1526100Did not deliver
Bader Munshi1725400Did not deliver
Ali Al-Salem1312601Did not deliver
Rick1000Did not deliver
Mohammed Al-Majhad0000Did not deliver

Al Kholood (10 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Juan Cozzani32288801Excellent
John Buckley31270224Fair
Shaquille Pinas30259412Fair
Abdulaziz Al-Aliwa33240542Fair
Hattan Bahebri31224555Fair
Ramiro Enrique272209150Fair
Abdulrahman Al Dosari33177110Below expectations
Edgaras Utkus16141810Good
Ramzi Sawlan24124700Below expectations
Rick2000Did not deliver

Al Najma (34 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Victor Braga31273800Fair
Samir30262631Good
Bilal Boutobba29206631Fair
Lázaro Vinícius26201871Below expectations
Abdullah Al-Hawsawi28193700Did not deliver
David Tijanič24182923Fair
Nasser Al Haleel30182610Did not deliver
Deybi Flores17152700Fair
Rakan Rajeh Altulayhi33152744Fair
Felippe Cardoso14122844Fair
Abdulelah Alshamary23112200Did not deliver
Abdulaziz Al Harabi33101401Did not deliver
Gonçalo Rodrigues1599200Below expectations
Nabil Donga1291400Fair
Mohammed Al-Fatil1378400Fair
Fahad Al Abdulrazzaq2376600Did not deliver
Khalid Alsubaie1569100Below expectations
Romell Quioto1056800Fair
Jawad El Yamiq652600Below expectations
Ali Jasim Elaibi844620Below expectations
Hisham Al Dubais3043801Did not deliver
Majed Dawran1334500Did not deliver
Waled Al Enazi2132200Did not deliver
Nawaf Al-Hawsawi2730500Did not deliver
Mohammed Al-Konaideri426701Below expectations
Mohammed Al Aqal916310Did not deliver
Ammar Al Najjar144500Did not deliver
Nawaf Al-Rashwodi14500Did not deliver
Abdulwahid Al-Nakhli14100Did not deliver
Mohammed Mansour Mile12100Did not deliver
Rick1000Did not deliver
Khalid Al Muqiatyb18000Did not deliver
Sultan Al Akouz0000Did not deliver
Abdullah Al-Hawsawi0000Did not deliver

Al Okhdood (12 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Gökhan Gül33258513Good
Samuel29243600Fair
Koray Günter27235211Fair
Mohammed Abo Abd30183000Did not deliver
Khaled Narey23173143Fair
Ali Al-Salem18141101Did not deliver
Burak Ince26141010Did not deliver
Blaž Kramer13100110Did not deliver
Muath Faqeehi1399001Fair
Tokmac Nguen1369710Did not deliver
Yvan Neyou748300Did not deliver
Rick1000Did not deliver

Al Riyadh (15 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Teddy Okou32244418Fair
Mohammed Alkhaibari29211500Below expectations
Mamadou Sylla302066101Below expectations
Osama Al-Boardi34186801Below expectations
Sergio González20149810Fair
Hazazi Yahya32141701Did not deliver
Victor Lekhal15135001Fair
Leandro Antunes15125270Excellent
Ismaila Soro18121702Below expectations
Ammar Al Harfi2885301Below expectations
Khalil Al-Absi3067810Did not deliver
Abdullah Hassoun2049400Did not deliver
Mohammed Al Saeed812500Did not deliver
Khaled Ali Al Asbahi *107200Investment
Emad Fidaa2000Did not deliver

Al Shabab (16 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Marcelo Grohe33297000Fair
Saad Yaslam Balobaid32270514Good
Josh Brownhill30245352Good
Yacine Adli26212213Good
Vincent Sierro26201200Fair
Hammam Al-Hammami31152811Below expectations
Unai Hernández25126101Below expectations
Ali Albulayhi14125320Good
Ali Al-Asmari1574601Below expectations
Mubarak Al-Rajeh1272500Did not deliver
Ali Makki2653600Did not deliver
Faisal Al-Sibyani2449100Did not deliver
Basil Yousef Al-Sayyali1946401Below expectations
Abdulaziz Al-Othman1333210Did not deliver
Mohammed Al-Mahasneh *7000Investment
Abdulaziz Rahma27000Did not deliver

Al Taawon (12 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Angelo Fulgini30243559Excellent
Qasim Lajami15125700Fair
Gabriel Teixeira1692810Fair
Vitão1887300Below expectations
Bassam Al-Hurayji2751410Fair
Meshal Alaeli3050700Below expectations
Mohammed Al-Qahtani1432810Fair
Abduleallah Hawsawi3123700Below expectations
Mohammed Al Aqal1513400Did not deliver
Romain Faivre511611Did not deliver
Saif Rashad Mohamed *147100Investment
Mohammed Kudus63700Did not deliver

Al-Ahli Jeddah (8 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Valentin Atangana Edoa23189250Fair
Enzo Millot25187132Fair
Zakaria Hawsawi25161411Fair
Matheus Gonçalves22143022Fair
Mohammed Yousef3186701Fair
Saleh Aboulshamat3073213Fair
Abdulelah Al Khaibari610800Did not deliver
Ricardo Mathias *45501Investment

Al-Ettifaq (4 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Francisco Calvo30268441Excellent
Ondrej Duda27212900Fair
Ahmed Hassan1664010Below expectations
Abdulbasit Hawsawi30000Did not deliver

Al-Fateh (8 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Fernando Pacheco31271200Fair
Fahad Zubaidi31157733Fair
Majed Mohammed1185200Did not deliver
Karl Toko Ekambi745300Below expectations
Amin Al-Bukhari3034400Did not deliver
Sattam Al Tumbukti1629100Did not deliver
Faisal Darisi823100Did not deliver
Habib Al-Wutaian2000Did not deliver

Al-Fayha (9 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Jason34273657Fair
Yassine Benzia32273545Excellent
Alfa Semedo31262642Fair
Mikel Villanueva30251710Fair
Silvère Ganvoula30121540Did not deliver
Abdullah Radif1143202Below expectations
Rick14500Did not deliver
Abdullah Al-Jawaey154200Did not deliver
Jérémie Kanon *11500Investment

Al-Hazm (15 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Rosier Loreintz32267511Fair
Fábio Martins33234854Good
Ahmed Al-Nakhli28218211Below expectations
Bruno Varela20174300Fair
Omar Al-Somah25165370Good
Elias Mokwana25137812Below expectations
Abdullah Alshenqiti30122610Did not deliver
Ahmed Al-Shamrani29114900Did not deliver
Amir Saâyoud19107433Good
Abdelmounaim Boutouil1788100Below expectations
Mohammed Issa3162400Did not deliver
Majed Al Ghamdi1431500Below expectations
Rick28700Did not deliver
Abdulrahman Al-Khaibary184800Did not deliver
Khalid Alsubaie83600Did not deliver

Al-Hilal Saudi FC (10 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Theo Hernández31274951Excellent
Darwin Núñez16125164Good
Karim Benzema1072592Excellent
Ali Lajami3265400Fair
Yusuf Akçiçek1362400Fair
Sultan Mandash2046642Good
Pablo Marí536000Fair
Murad Al Hawsawi1927301Fair
Abdulkarim Darisi2925300Did not deliver
Mohamed Meïté *515110Investment

Al-Ittihad FC (7 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Roger Fernandes15116422Good
Mahamadou Doumbia14111612Fair
Youssef En-Nesyri13103960Fair
Ahmed Al Julaydan2768801Below expectations
Jan-Carlo Simic867000Fair
Mohammed Al-Absi3030800Below expectations
George Ilenikhena *28800Investment

Al-Nassr (8 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
João Félix3329142013Excellent
Iñigo Martínez31276530Excellent
Kingsley Coman3025611011Excellent
Saad Fahad Al Nasser2264700Fair
Abdullah Al-Hamdan1531231Good
Nader Al Sharari276600Did not deliver
Haroune Camara181700Did not deliver
Ahmad Al Harbi0000Did not deliver

Al-Qadisiyah FC (11 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Christopher Baah322679312Excellent
Musab Al Juwayr312537611Excellent
Mateo Retegui282346161Excellent
Julian Weigl25224213Good
Otávio15118700Good
Yasir Al-Shahrani33114800Good
Abdullah Al-Salem3463740Fair
Waleed Al-Ahmed735311Good
Gabriel Carvalho1026311Fair
Mohammed Al-Thain119400Did not deliver
Mshari Sanyoor11000Did not deliver

Damac (15 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Kewin34306500Fair
Valentín Vada332928116Good
Morlaye Sylla32285521Fair
Jamal Harkass31268721Good
Riyadh Sharahili27146702Below expectations
Yakou Meite22142150Below expectations
Hassan Ali Rabea2989500Did not deliver
Jesús Medina1280410Below expectations
Jonathan Okita1478621Fair
Yahya Naji3465500Did not deliver
David1364700Did not deliver
Khaled Al-Semeiry3440600Did not deliver
Nabil Alioui631100Did not deliver
Nawaf Al Sadi1516200Did not deliver
Moataz Al-Baqaawi23000Did not deliver

NEOM (30 signings)

PlayerMatchesMinutesGoalsAssistsRating
Nathan Zeze31279021Good
Amadou Kone31271521Fair
Alexandre Lacazette312589114Excellent
Luis Maximiano30252000Fair
Faris Abdi32238702Fair
Luciano Rodríguez30233761Fair
Ahmed Hegazy28232310Good
Khalifah Al-Dawsari28206710Fair
Saïd Benrahma261951107Excellent
Ala'a Al-Hejji26135631Fair
Mohammed Al-Burayk26104411Excellent
Abdoulaye Doucouré1296604Fair
Aloyayari Abdulmalik1592910Good
Hawsawi Islam Ahmed3264201Below expectations
Ali Al-Asmari1561600Did not deliver
Salman Al-Faraj2158700Fair
Hassan Hashim Al Ali2550100Did not deliver
Marcin Bułka545000Fair
Ahmed Abdoh Jaber2843210Did not deliver
Abdulaziz Noor1343000Did not deliver
Abbas Sadiq Alhassan732300Did not deliver
Awn Al Saluli3327900Did not deliver
Ayman Fallatah *1710900Investment
Thamer Al Khaibri *63900Investment
Younes Al-Shanqeeti *10000Investment
Mohammed Al Dawsari2000Did not deliver
Mustafa Malaika31000Did not deliver
Raed Ozaybi2000Did not deliver
Rick1000Did not deliver
Ahmed Abdu0000Did not deliver