Every PIF signing in the 2023 summer transfer window

In the summer of 2023, the Saudi Pro League has been determined to make a giant splash worldwide.

Elite-level football has historically had its roots in Europe thanks to the dominance of the Premier League, La Liga and Serie A, but Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund means unrivalled sums of cash are being used to prise players away from Europe like Major League Soccer and the Chinese Super League did before.

PIF is also the majority owner of Newcastle United. The sovereign wealth fund is now pumping money into Al Ahli, Al Ittihad, Al Hilal and Al Nassr with the aim of attracting more star names to make the move and subsequently boost the international stature of the league.

Given how quickly these clubs are moving, here's a look at the players who have been purchased by PIF.

Newcastle

Newcastle's rise has coincided with PIF's arrival, although Eddie Howe and savvy recruitment have also played major roles in the Magpies re-establishing themselves as a Champions League outfit.

Newcastle will compete in UEFA's premier club competition for the first time in 20 years this season, so it's no surprise they enjoyed a busy summer - but did they do enough?

They were able to lure Sandro Tonali away from Milan for a £55m fee, while Harvey Barnes will provide strong competition to the likes of Anthony Gordon and Alexander Isak in Howe's front three. The club will hope Tino Livramento can rediscover his pre-injury form once he's up and running, with Lewis Hall potentially coming in as an immediate starter after joining from Chelsea on an initial loan with an obligation to buy.

Al Ahli

Al Ahli have been the busiest of the four PIF-backed Saudi Pro League clubs.

While some of the recruits have been domestic arrivals, the majority have arrived from Europe. In the absence of an established superstar, the addition of Spanish hotshot Gabri Veiga sent shockwaves through the European sphere given his talent and potential. The 21-year-old midfielder was strongly linked with a move to reigning Serie A champions Napoli before joining the newly promoted Saudi club.

A whole host of Premier League stars will team up in Jeddah, including Riyad Mahrez, Allan Saint-Maximin, Roberto Firmino, and Edouard Mendy. They'll be complemented by aggressive former Serie A centre-backs Merih Demiral and Roger Ibanez, as well as Franck Kessie, who spent just a solitary season at Barcelona before departing for the riches of the Gulf.

Al Hilal

Talk about a star-studded list of summer arrivals.

Al Hilal had made one of the more telling signings of the window when they acquired Ruben Neves from Wolverhampton Wanderers. Saudi Pro League clubs had previously targeted big-name stars coming towards the end of their careers, but Neves is a talent who's yet to reach his prime.

The former Wolves skipper was joined by Kalidou Koulibaly after he struggled at Chelsea before the club made a couple of major splashes towards the end of the window. Neymar finally got his wish and departed Paris Saint-Germain, while journeyman Malcom - the most Saudi Pro League player there's ever been - signed for £52m.

Perpetually linked with a move away from Lazio, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic found the Saudi project too enticing to turn down, and Aleksandar Mitrovic seemingly couldn't take another season of carrying the goalscoring burden at Fulham.

Al Ittihad

The current Saudi Pro League champions made a brilliant start to the window by persuading Real Madrid legend Karim Benzema to leave the Spanish capital and become one of the SPL's poster boys alongside Cristiano Ronaldo.

His arrival was confirmed in June and he was quickly followed through the door by N'Golo Kante. Fellow Champions League winner Fabinho will slot in next to Kante, while exciting wide man Jota ditched Celtic for Nuno Espirito Santo's side.

Perhaps there's still room for Mohamed Salah in Jeddah?

Al Nassr

Have Al Nassr done enough to appease Ronaldo? After missing out on the title in his debut season, the Portuguese all-time great will be desperate to claim major silverware in year two. However, the increased strength of Al Nassr's competitors makes a title charge tough.

Nevertheless, the club splashed out and acquired some big names. Although, their most expensive signing of the summer, Otavio from Porto, hadn't exactly established himself as a bona fide superstar in Europe.

The additions of Sadio Mane and Aymeric Laporte, however, will drastically improve Ronaldo's side, while Marcelo Brozovic and Seko Fofana make up an imposing midfield engine room.

READ MORE ON THE PLAYERS LINKED TO SAUDI ARABIA & THE MONEY ON OFFER