Serbian Lazio international midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic has signed a three-year contract with Al-Hilal, the Saudi club announced on its Twitter account.
The contract, which runs until June 2026, was signed in Austria where the player will join the pre-season preparation camp, said the Ryad-based club which has already secured the services of Senegalese Kalidou Koulibaly and Portuguese Ruben Neves.
After eight years in Rome, the 28-year-old international had recently asked for a “change of air”, Lazio president Claudio Lotito said on Monday, adding that the Italian club had received an offer “a little lower than 50 million euros”.
A fan-favorite player, Milinkovic-Savic has scored 69 goals in 341 appearances since joining Lazio for €10m in 2015. He won the 2019 Italian Cup.
His departure for Saudi Arabia confirms the new omnipotence of the oil monarchy on the transfer market.
He joins several great players in European football in the Saudi Pro League, attracted by the prospect of staggering salaries.
Saudi Arabian champions Al-Ittihad signed Frenchmen Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kanté and Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr in January as former Liverpool striker Roberto Firmino of Brazil signed in Al-Ahli.
Former Reds captain Steven Gerrard has become the coach of Al-Ettifaq.