Istanbul / Ahmed Hassan / Anadolu

Al-Ahli Saudi, champion of the AFC Champions League Elite for football, on Saturday signed Portuguese international winger Francisco Trincão on a four-season contract until the summer of 2030, coming from Sporting Lisbon.

The club's account on the American platform 'X' posted a video presenting the player, showing him signing his contract to join the champion of the AFC Champions League Elite for the last two editions. Al-Ahli also revealed that Trincão will wear the number 7 shirt, which was worn by Algerian star Riyad Mahrez before his departure.

Trincão (26 years old) began his career with Portuguese side Sporting Braga before moving to Spanish club Barcelona. He then had a spell in the English Premier League with Wolverhampton on loan, before returning to Portugal and shining with Sporting Lisbon.

The Portuguese midfielder has played 327 official matches, scoring 62 goals and providing 57 assists. He won the Portuguese league title in two consecutive seasons and lifted the Portuguese Cup.

On the international stage, Trincão has played 19 matches for the Portuguese national team, winning the UEFA Nations League with his country. His participation in the last World Cup was limited to 26 minutes in a match against Uzbekistan, and he ended the tournament without a significant opportunity.

The Trincão deal is the most expensive for 'Al-Raqi' (Al-Ahli's nickname) during the summer transfer window, with many media outlets reporting its value at 40 million euros. He is the fourth player to join the team recently, after Armenian Eduard Spertsyan, Gambian Abubakr Sidi Kinteh, and Saudi Mishal Al-Mutairi.