(Football News) Roberto Firmino, the ex-Liverpool striker, has joined the Saudi Pro League, which is known for its significant investments in players, after reaching an agreement with Al-Ahli. Although Firmino is still required to undergo a medical examination, Firmino has successfully negotiated the terms of a contract that will be valid until June 2026.
Firmino, who was initially signed by Liverpool for £29m in 2015 but chose not to extend his stay at Anfield, is set to become a teammate of former Chelsea goalkeeper Édouard Mendy at Al-Ahli in the Saudi Pro League.
Meanwhile, another Saudi club, Al-Ittihad, is nearing the completion of a deal for Celtic’s Jota. The Portuguese forward is eager to join forces with former Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema at the club, and negotiations between the parties are believed to be reaching the final stages.
Jota’s departure would be a setback for Celtic and their returning manager Brendan Rodgers, as the Portuguese player played a pivotal role in securing a domestic treble for the team last season, contributing with 15 goals across all competitions.
Marcelo Brozovic, who currently plays for Internazionale, has reached an agreement to join Al-Nassr and is scheduled to undergo a medical examination on Friday before the transfer is officially confirmed. Internazionale intends to utilize the €23m transfer fee to acquire Davide Frattesi from Sassuolo.
Despite Barcelona’s interest in Brozovic, they were unable to match Al-Nassr’s lucrative contract offer. The Saudi club’s proposed contract, which extends until 2026, includes a salary and signing fee exceeding €100m for the 30-year-old Croatian midfielder. Barcelona president Joan Laporta stated in an interview with Onze on Thursday that deals for Brozovic, Martín Zubimendi, and Joshua Kimmich are infeasible due to the significant financial demands involved.
Brozovic is set to become teammates with Cristiano Ronaldo at Al-Nassr, as the Saudi club expresses interest in securing the signing of Hakim Ziyech from Chelsea. The Blues have already completed the transfers of Mendy and Kalidou Koulibaly to Al-Ahli and Al-Hilal respectively. Additionally, N’Golo Kanté joined Al-Ittihad after his contract with Chelsea expired earlier this summer.
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