Danilo Pereira has transferred to Al Ittihad after four seasons at Paris Saint-Germain. EPA
Danilo Pereira has transferred to Al Ittihad after four seasons at Paris Saint-Germain. EPA
Danilo Pereira has transferred to Al Ittihad after four seasons at Paris Saint-Germain. EPA
Danilo Pereira has transferred to Al Ittihad after four seasons at Paris Saint-Germain. EPA

Saudi Pro League transfer deadline day: Danilo Pereira among five best deals


Steve Luckings
  • English
  • Arabic

The Saudi Arabian transfer window closed shut late on Monday, with several clubs bolstering their squads ahead of a long season.

Al Ahli may have missed out on their prime target after Victor Osimhen joined Turkish side Galatasaray on a season-long loan from Napoli, but can still console themselves with the signing of England striker Ivan Toney.

We take a look at five transfer deadline day deals that caught the eye.

1. Danilo Pereira (PSG to Al Ittihad – €5 million)

The versatile Portuguese defender enjoyed a trophy-filled four years at Paris Saint-Germain, winning the past three Ligue 1 titles as well as two French Cups. Able to operate across the backline or as a defensive midfielder, Pereira, 32, joins an Al Ittihad side enjoying a winning start to the new Saudi Pro League season, winning both games so far.

League winners in 2023, Ittihad finished fifth last term, a whopping 42 points behind champions Al Hilal. New Ittihad coach Laurent Blanc has looked to impose his own stamp on a squad that underachieved last season. The French coach hopes Pereira's experience – he has 72 caps for Portugal – can complement the exciting young talent ahead of him such as Moussa Diaby and Houssem Aouar.

2. Steven Bergwijn (Ajax to Al Ittihad – €21 million)

Bergwijn was touted as one of the most exciting young attacking talents in Europe when he joined Tottenham Hotspur from PSV Eindhoven in 2020. His time in the Premier League did not go well, and he was sold to Ajax two years later. Back in his native Netherlands, Bergwijn rediscovered his best form, and assumed the Ajax captaincy from Dusan Tadic last season.

A winger who can operate on either flank, Bergwijn, now 26, has become more accomplished in his decision-making, and his goals return of 29 in 79 games for the Amsterdam club saw him make the national team for Euro 2024. The Dutchman will find competition for places tough, with Ittihad boasting one of the most potent attacks in the league.

Steven Bergwijn, right, in action for Ajax during a Dutch Eredivisie match against NAC Breda. EPA
Steven Bergwijn, right, in action for Ajax during a Dutch Eredivisie match against NAC Breda. EPA

3. Marcos Leonardo (Benfica to Al Hilal – €40 million)

His time at Benfica may have been short, but Leonardo made enough of an impact at the Portuguese club for supporters to make clear their disdain at his sale. Powerfully built and with no small measure of skill, Leonardo, 21, averaged a goal every other game in the Primeira Liga last season and opened his account this campaign in last weekend's draw with Moreirense with a penalty in the 97th minute.

Hilal won the league at a canter last season, going the entire season undefeated. Coach Jorge Jesus has not added too much to his squad this term, with Leonardo joining defenders Moteb Al Harbi and Joao Cancelo as high-profile recruits alongside established stars Aleksandar Mitrovic and an injury-free Neymar.

4. Chris Smalling (Al Fayha - undisclosed)

The English defender rediscovered some of his best form in Italy after joining Roma from Manchester United in 2019, winning the 2022 Europa Conference League while he also played in the Europa League final defeat against Sevilla the following season. Limited to just 12 appearances last season due to injuries, Smalling departs Roma having made 155 appearances and scoring 12 goals. Part of two Premier League title-winning squads at United and capped 31 times by England, Smalling, 34, brings a wealth of experience to Al Fayha.

Chris Smalling in action for Roma during a pre-season friendly against Everton. PA
Chris Smalling in action for Roma during a pre-season friendly against Everton. PA

5. Angelo (Chelsea to Al Nassr – €23 million)

The Brazilian, 19, joins Saudi giants Al Nassr having not made a single first-team appearance for English club Chelsea since joining at the start of the 2023/24 season. Made his debut for Santos aged 15 years, 10 months and four days, making him the second youngest player in the Brazil club's history ahead of the legendary Pele.

The arrival of Joao Felix, Pedro Neto and Jadon Sancho this summer meant first-team opportunities at Stamford Bridge would be even more limited, and Chelsea have decided to cash in on their young player, making a tidy profit in the process. Very much one for the future but will benefit immensely from training alongside the likes of Sadio Mane and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Sri Lanka-India Test series schedule

 

  • 1st Test India won by 304 runs at Galle
  • 2nd Test Thursday-Monday at Colombo
  • 3rd Test August 12-16 at Pallekele
TOURNAMENT INFO

Women’s World Twenty20 Qualifier

Jul 3- 14, in the Netherlands
The top two teams will qualify to play at the World T20 in the West Indies in November

UAE squad
Humaira Tasneem (captain), Chamani Seneviratne, Subha Srinivasan, Neha Sharma, Kavisha Kumari, Judit Cleetus, Chaya Mughal, Roopa Nagraj, Heena Hotchandani, Namita D’Souza, Ishani Senevirathne, Esha Oza, Nisha Ali, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi

Which honey takes your fancy?

Al Ghaf Honey

The Al Ghaf tree is a local desert tree which bears the harsh summers with drought and high temperatures. From the rich flowers, bees that pollinate this tree can produce delicious red colour honey in June and July each year

Sidr Honey

The Sidr tree is an evergreen tree with long and strong forked branches. The blossom from this tree is called Yabyab, which provides rich food for bees to produce honey in October and November. This honey is the most expensive, but tastiest

Samar Honey

The Samar tree trunk, leaves and blossom contains Barm which is the secret of healing. You can enjoy the best types of honey from this tree every year in May and June. It is an historical witness to the life of the Emirati nation which represents the harsh desert and mountain environments

F1 The Movie

Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem

Director: Joseph Kosinski

Rating: 4/5

W.
Wael Kfoury
(Rotana)

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting 

2. Prayer 

3. Hajj 

4. Shahada 

5. Zakat 

While you're here
ENGLAND SQUAD

Goalkeepers: Jack Butland, Jordan Pickford, Nick Pope 
Defenders: John Stones, Harry Maguire, Phil Jones, Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier, Gary Cahill, Ashley Young, Danny Rose, Trent Alexander-Arnold 
Midfielders: Eric Dier, Jordan Henderson, Dele Alli, Jesse Lingard, Raheem Sterling, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Fabian Delph 
Forwards: Harry Kane, Jamie Vardy, Marcus Rashford, Danny Welbeck

Men's football draw

Group A: UAE, Spain, South Africa, Jamaica

Group B: Bangladesh, Serbia, Korea

Group C: Bharat, Denmark, Kenya, USA

Group D: Oman, Austria, Rwanda

Why seagrass matters
  • Carbon sink: Seagrass sequesters carbon up to 35X faster than tropical rainforests
  • Marine nursery: Crucial habitat for juvenile fish, crustations, and invertebrates
  • Biodiversity: Support species like sea turtles, dugongs, and seabirds
  • Coastal protection: Reduce erosion and improve water quality
What can victims do?

Always use only regulated platforms

Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion

Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)

Report to local authorities

Warn others to prevent further harm

Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence

Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
TWISTERS

Director: Lee Isaac Chung

Starring: Glen Powell, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Anthony Ramos

Rating: 2.5/5

Film: In Syria
Dir: Philippe Van Leeuw
Starring: Hiam Abbass, Diamand Bo Abboud, Mohsen Abbas and Juliette Navis
Verdict: Four stars

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
MATCH INFO

Liverpool 0

Stoke City 0

Man of the Match: Erik Pieters (Stoke)

Wonka
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Tips%20for%20holiday%20homeowners
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The five pillars of Islam
Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea

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Updated: September 03, 2024, 7:44 AM`