Al Nassr have completed the signing of Portuguese defensive midfielder Samu Costa from Spanish club RCD Mallorca, with the move officially announced on 9 August 2026 ahead of the Saudi Pro League 2026-27 season. Costa has signed a contract with the Riyadh club and is registered as a defensive midfielder, having already featured in the team's league match statistics.
Reported figures for the transfer fee differ. Some accounts point to a fee of around €9 million (roughly 36.6 million SAR), while others cite a higher figure of €22-25 million (approximately 89.5 to 101.8 million SAR), which would represent a record sale for Mallorca. The club has not officially published an exact fee in Saudi Riyals; the SAR figures above are currency conversions at an August 2026 rate of about €1 to 4.07 SAR. Almería are also due a 20% sell-on clause, receiving a little over €4 million (around 16.3 million SAR) from the deal.
The transfer was initially agreed in July 2026, but completion was delayed by administrative hurdles linked to player registration in Saudi Arabia. Those issues were resolved before the official announcement. Al Nassr obtained the required Financial Efficiency Certificate and reached an arrangement with the Saudi Pro League Recruitment Programme, which covered the full cost of the deal and used up the club's allocation from that programme for the current summer window.
For the wider community, the move underlines the continued investment by Saudi clubs in strengthening their squads with international talent. Signings of this kind are handled internally by the club and the league, including club-to-club agreements, player registration, professional licensing, and coordination on the player's work visa and residency. These procedures are managed by the club and league systems rather than by public platforms used by residents.
Stay updated with the latest news, events, sports updates, business insights, real estate and lifestyle stories on Saudi Living — the leading online platform for residents, expats, and visitors in Saudi Arabia.
Follow Saudi Living for daily updates:
- Instagram - @saudiliving
- X - @saudiliving
- Facebook - @saudiliving
- YouTube - @saudiliving
Up Next

Al Hilal Open Season With 4–2 Win Over Al Faisaly
Al Hilal began their 2026–27 Roshn Saudi League campaign with a 4–2 home win over Al Faisaly at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, with Rubén Neves scoring twice.
Aug 18,2026
Al Ahli Open 2026/27 Season With 1–0 Win
Al Ahli started the 2026/27 Saudi Pro League with a 1–0 away win over Diriyah Club, marking the debut of new head coach Marino Pušić.
Aug 17,2026
Al Ahli Extends Roger Ibañez Contract Until 2030
Al Ahli renews Brazilian defender Roger Ibañez's contract until summer 2030 as part of long-term Saudi Pro League squad planning.
Aug 17,2026
Fabinho Leaves Al Ittihad After Three Seasons
Al Ittihad confirm the departure of Brazilian midfielder Fabinho after three seasons that included league and King Cup titles.
Aug 17,2026Related Stories
Don't Miss Similar Listings
Be the first to know when new stories on this topic are published.














