Roberto Firmino, Celtic's Jota and Marcelo Brozovic all close to signing for Saudi clubs

Former Liverpool striker Roberto Firmino is the latest big name to join the Saudi Pro League, with reports that the Brazilian is close to signing for Al-Ahli. 

The 31-year-old Brazilian has agreed personal terms with the Jeddah-based club and will complete the move following a medical, football journalist Fabrizio Romano reported.

Firmino signed for Liverpool for £29 million in 2015, with him becoming a key part of manager Jurgen Klopp's all-conquering front three, along with Mo Salah and Sadio Mane.

Firmino turned down the chance of an extension of his almost £10 million per-year contract at the Merseyside club, with Al-Ahli likely to have offered him a contract worth many times more.

Understand Roberto Firmino has now reached full verbal agreement with Al Ahli, here we go! 🚨🟢🇸🇦🇧🇷 #AlAhli

Medical tests still pending — final step to get the deal signed.

Contract will be valid until June 2026.

Firmino would join Édouard Mendy in case deal will be completed. pic.twitter.com/ZXGPTxcZtx

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 29, 2023

A statement of intent

Al-Ahli’s city rivals Al-Ittihad are also looking to add to their impressive roster, which already includes Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kante. On Tuesday reports emerged of the Saudi champions looking to sign Celtic's exciting young Portuguese winger Jota.

This would be one of a few occasions that a Saudi club has poached a young talent from one of Europe's feeder leagues. In recent decades the Scottish Premiership has been unable to financially compete with the major European leagues, such as the Premier League.

Al-Ittihad and Celtic have reportedly agreed a fee of around £25 million for the 25-year-old. If this signing goes through, the Saudi Pro League has seemingly shown that not only is it able to lure established players away from Europe with massively inflated wages, but it can also spend big on transfer fees for emerging talent.

EXCLUSIVE: Marcelo Brozović says yes to Al Nassr proposal, here we go! Verbal agreement reached, waiting to sign all the contracts. 🚨🟡🔵🇸🇦 #AlNassr

Understand he will undergo medical tests on Friday and then final check to the contracts.

Deal will be valid until June 2026. pic.twitter.com/AGgQZRrcIl

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 29, 2023

Al-Nassr also beat interest from European giants Barcelona  to secure the last minute signing of 30-year-old Croatian Marcelo Brozovic from Inter Milan with a transfer fee of £23 million and a three-year deal worth an astonishing £86 million.

Brozovic will become teammates with Cristiano Ronaldo, with Al-Nassr also looking to sign Chelsea’s Hakim Ziyech.