Where Omar Abdulrahman ranks in Al-Hilal's most expensive signings

Updated 10 August 2018
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Where Omar Abdulrahman ranks in Al-Hilal's most expensive signings

LONDON: Al-Hilal pulled off the biggest transfer in their history this week when they signed Omar Abdulrahman from Al-Ain. However, the UAE playmaker is only on loan and it cost Al-Hilal $17 million to bring him to the Kingdom, which is nearly double their record transfer fee. We look at the previous top five fees the Saudi Pro League giants have spent in their storied history.


$8.75m


Al-Hilal set their transfer record in 2011 when they signed Youssef El-Arabi from Caen. He only spent one season in the Kingdom, scoring 12 goals in 21 goals, before Granda snapped up the Moroccan international.

$8.17m


Thiago Neves was a roaring success during two spells at Al-Hilal, scoring 40 goals in 73 appearances. They certainly got good value from the money they paid Hamburg for the Brazilian in 2009.

$7m


The Romanian midfielder Mirel Radoi got life at Al-Hilal off to a dream start when he scored on his debut in the derby win over Al-Nassr in 2009. He proved excellent value after signing from Steaua Bucarest.

$7m


Yasser Al-Qahtani became one of the most expensive Saudi Arabia players when he made the jump from Al-Qadisiyah to sign for Al-Hilal in 2005. He spent 13 years in Riyadh, scoring 88 goals in 160 games. He did have one season on loan at Al-Ain, where he rattled in seven goals in 15 games.

$6.4m


Brazilian forward Leo Bonatini made headlines in 2016 when he swapped life in Brazil for a new career in the Kingdom. He averaged nearly a goal a game during two seasons at Al-Hilal before he moved to England. He has just signed a four-year contract at Wolves.


Formula E heads to Jeddah for double-header, Evans looking to build on Miami momentum

Updated 10 February 2026
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Formula E heads to Jeddah for double-header, Evans looking to build on Miami momentum

  • The night races in Saudi Arabia come with the drivers’ standings tightly contested, with the top five separated by just seven points after three rounds

JEDDAH: The FIA Formula E World Championship continues this week with the first double-header of the 2025/26 season, as Rounds 4 and 5 take place at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit on Feb. 13 and 14.

The night races in Saudi Arabia come with the drivers’ standings tightly contested, with the top five separated by just seven points after three rounds, while the highly anticipated Pit Boost feature also returns this weekend.

Pit Boost is a mandatory mid-race stop that provides cars with a 10 percent energy increase, adding a significant strategic element to selected races during double-header weekends.

Jaguar TCS Racing’s Mitch Evans arrives in Jeddah fresh from victory in Miami and said the team is keen to build on its momentum.

“Getting the win in Miami was a huge boost, for me personally, of course, but for the whole team too. It was one of those races where everything just came together, and to take my 15th Formula E victory with Jaguar made it even more special,” he said.

“Now the attention shifts to Jeddah, which is a completely different challenge. We’ve shown we have the pace, and if we execute well across both races, there’s a big opportunity for us to really ride this momentum,” he added.

Porsche Formula E Team’s Nico Muller said the Jeddah E-Prix presents a unique challenge, particularly with the return of Pit Boost, which will be used in one of the two races.

“I’m excited for the Jeddah E-Prix, a night race is always special. It’s a cool track, it suits the GEN3 Evo (car) well,” he said.

“It’ll be the first Pit Boost race of the season, which will make things challenging, having two completely different races. It also makes preparation more intense because we’re preparing for two different scenarios.

“However, we have a strong base, the car and the team are performing well, and now it’s about optimizing our package for this track and the conditions. We have full focus on scoring points and chasing that victory,” he added.

The Jeddah E-Prix will once again be held under the lights, with cooler track and air temperatures expected to influence tire behavior and energy efficiency.

Off track, Formula E will also host the return of EVO Sessions, where global content creators will drive electric race cars at the circuit following the race weekend, with the event set to be streamed live on YouTube on Feb. 15.

The championship continues to promote sustainability and community engagement in Jeddah through initiatives focused on renewable energy use, waste reduction, education programs and inclusion, including support for young women in motorsport and local community partnerships.