Here we go! Real Madrid captain moves to Saudi Arabia

Yesterday, we reported that the current captain of Real Madrid, Nacho Fernández, underwent a medical examination at the Saudi Arabian club Al-Qadsiah. Today, it has been revealed that the club has agreed to a contract with the veteran of Los Blancos.

Fabrizio Romano reports that the Saudi club will sign a two-year contract with the defender. Nacho will move to the Middle East as a free agent, though his salary has not yet been disclosed.

Nacho is a Real Madrid veteran, having progressed through the club's academy and making his first-team debut in 2011. He has made 342 appearances for the Madrid club, scoring sixteen goals. With Los Blancos, the defender has won La Liga four times, the Copa del Rey twice, and the Supercopa de España five times. Internationally, he has helped Real Madrid win the UEFA Champions League six times, the UEFA Super Cup four times, and the FIFA Club World Cup five times.

Al-Qadsiah competed in the First Division of Saudi Arabia last season, the country's second-tier league. The team won the championship and secured promotion to the top tier, the Pro League.

Following their promotion, Al-Qadsiah has been active in the transfer market and aimed to start by attracting a high-profile coach. They considered the legendary José Mourinho for the role, but the Portuguese manager chose Fenerbahçe instead.

Currently, the club does not have any notable players, but Al-Qadsiah will likely continue to seek veteran footballers and attempt to lure them to their team. Signing Nacho is just the beginning and will help them attract attention.

It is noteworthy that Nacho's transfer will be the fourth consecutive departure of a captain in recent seasons. In 2021, Sergio Ramos left for Seville, in 2022 Marcelo moved to Fluminense, and last year Benzema also moved to Saudi Arabia, but to Al-Ittihad.