Portuguese forward João Félix has completed a move to Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr, where he will link up with his compatriot Cristiano Ronaldo under the management of Jorge Jesus.
The 25-year-old signed a two-year contract on Tuesday, with Saudi outlet Arryadia reporting his annual salary at $10 million. Al Nassr, based in Riyadh, shared a video of Félix announcing, “I’m here to spread joy. Let’s win together.”
Félix’s arrival marks a fresh chapter in a career that has struggled to meet early expectations. He was signed by Atletico Madrid in 2019 for €127.7 million from Benfica, making him one of the most expensive players in football history.
Despite loan spells at Chelsea, Barcelona and AC Milan, Félix never managed to score more than 10 goals in a season.
His move to Saudi Arabia follows a growing trend of European-based players joining clubs in the kingdom, a movement that began with Ronaldo’s shock signing by Al Nassr in 2023.
While many of the incoming players have been older, Félix is among a younger group of recent arrivals, including 26-year-old Serie A top scorer Mateo Retegui, who signed with Al Qadsiah, and 27-year-old Theo Hernandez, who left AC Milan for Al Hilal earlier this month.
Coaches have also been part of Saudi Arabia’s football shake-up, with names like Italy’s Simone Inzaghi joining the league. Jorge Jesus, who will now oversee Félix at Al Nassr, previously coached Al Hilal but was let go after the club’s Asian Champions League exit in May.
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