French midfielder Yacine Adli is set to leave AC Milan for Saudi Pro League side Al Shabab, with the move now close to being finalized. The two clubs reached a full agreement on Monday, September 8, and the 23-year-old will travel to Riyadh in the coming hours to complete his medicals before signing.
The deal is worth around €8 million, giving Milan a small profit on a player who struggled to nail down a consistent role since arriving from Bordeaux in 2021.
Adli’s new contract in Saudi Arabia is reported to run for three years, taking him through to 2028, and will see him earn a salary package of roughly €7 million per season three times what he currently pockets in Italy. Softfootball understands this move comes after AC Milan earlier offloaded Ismael Bennacer on loan to Dinamo Zagreb.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano summed up the situation on Monday via his official X account saying:
Yacine Adli from AC Milan to Al Shabab, here we go! Verbal agreement done and player authorized to travel.
€7m package add-ons included to Milan, Adli on his way to medical. Contract until June 2028.
Milan’s management are understood to be satisfied with the outcome, as the sale provides extra room in their squad and budget ahead of the January window. For Al Shabab, the deal is another clear signal of ambition, as they continue to attract European players with long-term projects and significant financial incentives.
The Saudi transfer window does not shut until September 11, leaving just enough time for the paperwork and official unveiling once the medical is cleared. Adli, meanwhile, will be hoping this new adventure allows him the regular football and central role that largely eluded him at San Siro.
