In what seems to be a high-profile shopping spree for Al Hilal, Serbian striker Aleksandar Mitrovic has joined the ranks of the Riyadh-based football club. This announcement came closely on the heels of the recent acquisition of Brazilian sensation Neymar by the Saudi Pro League giants. The club took to social media platform X, previously known as Twitter, to showcase Mitrovic in the Al Hilal jersey, captioning the image, “Mitrovic is Hilali until 2026.”
Mitrovic, known for his prowess in front of the goal, was Fulham's leading scorer in four out of the past five seasons. The timing of this transfer raised eyebrows, as he missed Fulham's recent 3-0 defeat to Brentford due to an injury sustained during the season opener against Everton.
The Serbian forward's journey with Fulham was scheduled to continue till 2026. However, Al Hilal, which had previously secured Neymar in a mega-deal worth 90 million euros ($98 million), managed to pique Fulham's interest with persistent offers. After numerous bids, Al Hilal's reported offer of 46 million pounds (USD 58m) finally hit the mark, coming close to Fulham's valuation of their prized asset.
Al Hilal, celebrated as an 18-time national champion, is among the four prominent Saudi football clubs that have been effectively nationalized by the nation's Public Investment Fund (PIF).
Marco Silva, Fulham's manager, opened up about the transfer after the Brentford game. He remarked at Craven Cottage, “I got information before the match and now the confirmation from the club after the match too that he's on his way to leave the club.” He further added, “Both clubs they got an agreement and now is the moment to finish the era of Mitrovic in our club."
This move reiterates Al Hilal's ambition to elevate their stature in international football, signaling their intent to compete at the highest levels with top-tier talent.
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