2025-26 RSL: 8 New Signings To Excel | OneFootball

Amid the excitement ahead of the new Roshn Saudi League season is the thrill that comes from watching players compete in the competition for the first time.

Every summer there are dozens of new stars arriving in the Kingdom seeking to make their mark and achieve success - and this season is no different.

Here are just some of the RSL debutants ready to light up the league when 2025-26 Matchweek 1 plays out from Thursday to Saturday.

--------

Joao Felix - Al Nassr

Once touted as one of the most exciting players of his generation, the former Benfica, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, AC Milan and Chelsea forward arrives at Al Nassr with something of a point to prove.

That drive might make all the difference for the Riyadh giants this season, especially in partnership with his Portuguese national teammate Cristiano Ronaldo.

The potential of their combination was on display in last week’s Saudi Super Cup in Hong Kong, with Felix sending a warning in the semi-finals to the rest of the league that he means business.

--------

Enzo Millot - Al Ahli

He was chased by Atletico Madrid and, at one point last year, was labelled “the best player in the Bundesliga”, so there is naturally plenty of excitement in Jeddah regarding the signing of French starlet Millot.

Still only 23, the attacking midfielder joins at Al Ahli at the perfect time, fresh of last season’s AFC Champions League Elite success, and with the RSL title very much in their sights.

Matthias Jaissle’s side concluded last term as the top tier’s form side and underlined their credentials on Saturday with victory in the Super Cup final.

Millot, who scored in the semi-final rout of Al Qadsiah, might just be the missing piece they need to follow up their recent success and, finally, be crowned Saudi champions once more.

--------

Mateo Retegui - Al Qadsiah

There was a weird juxtaposition last season in that Al Qadsiah boasted one of the best strike partnerships in the league with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Julian Quinones but, on paper, had the weakest overall attack of the top six.

While Aubameyang has since departed, Al Qadsiah have only gone and replaced him with the reigning Serie A golden boot winner, in Mateo Retegui.

Along with other key signings, Retegui should give the Al Khobar club the attack they need to really challenge for a spot in the top three - and perhaps even more come the end of the season.

--------

Darwin Nunez - Al Hilal

With Aleksandar Mitrovic sidelined through injury, Al Hilal manager Simone Inzaghi needed a figurehead to lead his attack and found just the man in Uruguayan striker Nunez, from Liverpool.

Like Felix, he arrives with something of a point to prove after a mixed three years at Anfield and most definitely looks to be just what the 2023-24 RSL champions need to return to winning ways.

Al Hilal don’t take too kindly to missing out on silverware and, after a trophy-less season last time out, the addition of Nunez could be the difference-maker in their bid to assume once more the RSL throne.

--------

Alexandre Lacazette - NEOM SC

There is much intrigue about NEOM SC ahead of their RSL debut, and much will therefore be expected of Lacazette to lead their attack.

The former Arsenal and Olympique Lyon striker arrived early in pre-season, giving him time to establish a connection with the rest of his team.

With plenty of young and exciting talent around him, there’s every reason to believe the 34-year-old Lacazette can wind back the clock and be just the man new manager Christophe Galtier needs him to be as NEOM SC aim for the stars upon their RSL bow.

--------

Koray Gunter - Al Okhdood

Outside the so-called big clubs, there are plenty of summer signings that catch the eye, with Al Okhdood’s capture of Koray Gunter certainly one of those.

Having played at established European clubs such as Borussia Dortmund, Galatasaray and Sampdoria, the 31-year-old central defender knows what it takes to compete at the highest level.

So, after Al Okhdood’s defensive struggles last season, Gunter seems set to provide one part of the puzzle to resolve those issues this season. Do that, and Al Okhdood can avoid the relegation scrap that dominated their 2024-25 campaign.

--------

Georgios Masouras - Al Khaleej

Former Greek international Georgios Donis has tapped into connections in his homeland once again, the Al Khaleej manager surely playing a pivotal part in the club securing the services of Olympiacos great Masouras.

Across seven seasons in the Greek capital, the now 31-year-old winger scored 45 goals in 179 league games, while also earning more than 50 caps for his national team.

At Al Khaleej, Masouras will rekindle his partnership with Kostas Fortounis, with whom he shared a dressing room for both club and country for the best part of the past decade, the pair winning a hat-trick of Greek league titles between 2019 and 2022.

--------

Sergio Gonzalez - Al Riyadh

Fresh from a season in La Liga, the Spanish defender comes into Al Riyadh at an important juncture, as the capital club look this season to take the leap into the top half of the table.

Gonzalez, who came through the academies of both Madrid clubs - Atletico and Real - has spent the past five seasons at Leganes, helping them earn promotion from Segunda Division to La Liga in 2023-24.

Likewise, he will aim to become a vital pillar at the heart of Al Riyadh’s defence when they attempt to shore up a backline that conceded 52 RSL goals last season.