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Portuguese forward Joao Felix has agreed to a two-year contract with Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr, where he will reunite with Cristiano Ronaldo, as announced by the club on Tuesday.
The 25-year-old made a high-profile transfer from Benfica to Atletico Madrid in 2019, but his career has taken a downward turn since then.
“I’m here to spread joy. Let’s win together,” said Felix in a video posted on the Riyadh club’s X account. A separate post said he had signed until 2027.
He remains one of the most costly transfers on record, having moved to Atletico for 127.7 million euros ($147.3 million) six years ago. Since then, he has not been able to score more than ten goals in any season, despite playing for Barcelona, AC Milan, and Chelsea.
As reported by Arryadia, a sports newspaper in Riyadh, Felix is set to receive $10 million annually.
Saudi Arabia has disrupted the football landscape by investing heavily in European stars, starting with Ronaldo’s signing in 2023, and the conservative nation is slated to host the World Cup in 2034.
While many recent signings have been older players, Felix represents a shift in this trend, joining 26-year-old Mateo Retegui, the Serie A top-scorer, who transferred to Al Qadsiah last week.
Earlier this month, French international Theo Hernandez, 27, left AC Milan for Al Hilal in a deal reported to be worth $29 million.
Top-tier coaches have also been attracted to Saudi Arabia, including Italy’s Simone Inzaghi, who led Al Hilal to a surprising victory over Manchester City at the Club World Cup.
At Al Nassr, Felix will be under the guidance of Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus, who Al Hilal dismissed in May after their loss in the Asian Champions League semi-finals.
