After being blocked by a financial crisis all summer, the Saudi champions have announced the arrival of midfielder Samu Costa for nine million euros. They play their first match of the season on August 15.
Saudi football champions Al Nassr have finally managed to secure their first signing of the summer. The Riyadh-based club officially confirmed on Sunday, August 9, 2026, the arrival of Portuguese midfielder Samu Costa from Spanish La Liga side Mallorca.
The transfer had been on hold due to a financial crisis that blocked all of Al Nassr's activities since the opening of the transfer window. Only after receiving the financial fair play certificate and sorting out their obligations were they able to spring into action. The agreement with Real Mallorca was reached back in July, with the transfer fee set at nine million euros.
Al Nassr announced the arrival of their new player in their signature style. On their official X profile, they released a video in which Costa appears in armor, riding a horse, a nod to the club's nickname, the "Knights of Najd."
"The odyssey begins. Samu has arrived to fight for you," the club said. Mallorca also bid farewell to their player via social media, confirming the deal and thanking him for "his commitment and professionalism."
Costa, who reached the round of 16 with the Portuguese national team at the recent World Cup, where they were eliminated by eventual champions Spain, arrives as a major boost to the midfield. Al Nassr, led by Cristiano Ronaldo, aims to defend their Saudi Pro League title, which they won last season after a seven-year drought.
Ronaldo and his teammates will get their first chance to see their new teammate in action as early as Saturday, August 15, when Al Nassr travel to face Al-Fateh in the opening round of the new season. Beyond the domestic league, the club's ambitions extend to winning their first AFC Champions League Elite title.
