Winter 2026 Transfers: Benzema's Move to Al-Hilal and the Dominance of the English Premier League
The final hours of the 2026 winter transfer window witnessed dramatic shifts that reshaped the landscape of football power both locally and globally. Clubs worldwide, particularly in Saudi Arabia and England, experienced a flurry of activity before the window closed. This intense activity confirmed that "the language of money" was the decisive factor in resolving complex discussions, transforming speculation into tangible realities.
Earthquake in Saudi football: Benzema wears blue
In one of the biggest surprises of the transfer window, veteran French striker Karim Benzema, nicknamed "The Government," stole the show with a sensational transfer from Al-Ittihad to their arch-rivals Al-Hilal. The deal was worth €25 million, a figure that reflects Al-Hilal's desire to maintain their domestic and continental dominance. This direct transfer between two giants of Saudi football has added a fierce competitive dimension, transcending mere technical skill and evolving into a struggle for influence and control over titles.
Benzema is set to make his debut for Al-Hilal against Al-Akhdoud on February 5th in the 21st round of the Saudi Professional League. This move comes as a replacement for Uruguayan Darwin Núñez in the starting lineup, indicating Al-Hilal's coaching staff's desire to rely on Benzema's extensive experience in crucial matches this season.
Al-Hilal's management was not satisfied with the Benzema deal, but continued to strengthen its ranks for the future by signing Frenchman Simon Bouabrie from Neom club for 23 million euros, in addition to the deal for Kader Meiti, which reflects the club's strategy of balancing global experience with young talents.
English dominance and economic gap
Globally, the English Premier League continued to cement its absolute economic dominance. As usual, cash was the deciding factor in major transfer deals, with English clubs capturing the lion's share of the transfer market and widening the financial gap with the other top five European leagues.
Antoine Simeone made headlines with his record-breaking €72 million move from Bournemouth to Manchester City, making him the most expensive signing of the winter transfer window. Liverpool also secured the services of French talent Jérémy Jacquet for €63 million, while Crystal Palace bolstered their squad with two high-profile signings: Jürgen Strand Larsen and Brennan Johnson.
List of the 10 most expensive transfers in winter 2026
The following is a review of the most significant deals that shook the market on its last day, ranked by financial value:
- Antoine Simeone: From Bournemouth to Manchester City (€72 million).
- Jeremy Jacquet: From Rennes to Liverpool (€63 million).
- Jurgen Strand Larsen: from Wolverhampton to Crystal Palace (€49.7 million).
- Lucas Paquetá: Return to Brazil from West Ham to Flamengo (€42 million).
- Conor Gallagher: From Atletico Madrid to Tottenham (€40 million).
- Brennan Johnson: From Tottenham to Crystal Palace (€40 million).
- Ademola Lookman: From Atalanta to Atletico Madrid (35 million euros).
- Oscar Pope: From Manchester City to Fulham (€31.2 million).
- Kader Meiti: From Rennes to Al-Hilal (30 million euros).
- Tati Castellanos: From Lazio to West Ham (29 million euros).
