Al-Nassr have completed the signing of Portugal international Samu Costa from La Liga side Mallorca, the Saudi Pro League club confirmed. Costa joins the Riyadh-based outfit, which is 15% owned by Cristiano Ronaldo, and further bolsters the Portuguese contingent already present at the club alongside Ronaldo and Joao Felix, as well as head coach Jorge Jesus.
The central midfielder arrives for a reported fee of €25 million, as indicated by reports in AS, which would make him Mallorca’s record sale, surpassing the transfer of Kang-In Lee. However, Saudi source Okaz claims the total deal is worth €9 million. Costa scored seven goals in 34 appearances for Mallorca last season, establishing himself as a key player despite primarily functioning as a defensive midfielder.
Samu Costa was included in Roberto Martinez’s Portugal squad for the World Cup, making a brief appearance in the 0-0 draw against Colombia. Notably, he was selected ahead of Mateus Fernandes, who recently secured a €99 million move from West Ham to Tottenham, highlighting Costa’s potential. Prior to the move, Costa had attracted interest from several Premier League clubs.
Chelsea, Tottenham, Newcastle, and Aston Villa were all identified as potential destinations for the 25-year-old. European football expert Andy Brassell suggested to TalkSport that Costa’s physicality would make him well-suited to the Premier League, potentially as a replacement for Enzo Fernandez at Chelsea, or as a valuable addition to Aston Villa or Newcastle’s midfield. The transfer brings another talented player to the Saudi Pro League and adds further depth to Al-Nassr’s squad as they aim to compete for domestic and continental honours.
