Kader Meite has made the bold decision to leave French football for Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia, ending speculation linking him with a move to Manchester United.
Meite, who is considered one of the hottest center forward prospects in Europe, has completed a €30 million move from Rennes to Al Hilal.
United fans will feel hard-done by, and it may be confirmation that moving to Saudi Arabia while still a young player is a viable career strategy.
For Manchester United fans, it’s a bitter pill to swallow. For the football world, it’s a confirmation that the “Saudi Cheat Code” is no longer a theory—it’s a viable career strategy.
Why Meite snubbed Old Trafford
According to multiple reports, United held a genuine interest in Meite. With Joshua Zirkzee failing to find his feet in England and Benjamin Sesko still adapting, a move for Meite was plotted.
However, United hesitated. With Zirkzee earmarked to leave, they needed to confirm the Dutchman’s departure before pulling the trigger on Meite. It effectively opened the door for the Simeone Inzaghi-coached outfit to pounce.
Saudi Pro League clubs don’t shy away from paying lucrative wages, so the youngster could be earning top dollar at the age of 20.
He will also get to work under Inzaghi, who has coached some prolific strikers in his career, like Ciro Immobile, Romelu Lukaku, Eden Dzeko, Marcus Thuram and Lautaro Martinez, among others.
Why are more European wonderkids choosing to move to Saudi?
Before 2023, moving to Saudi Arabia was considered a semi-retirement option for ageing players who had already enjoyed the peak of their careers in European football.
However, Cristiano Ronaldo’s move opened the door for more players to move to the Saudi Pro League. Even active internationals were among those who joined.
Now, it has become a lucrative option for young players as well. Former Celta Vigo wonderkid Gabri Veiga, who was wanted by Arsenal in 2023, moved to Saudi Arabia instead. He earned up to £40M before joining Porto in 2025.
Jhon Duran, who wowed Premier League fans with a collection of spectacular goals during his Aston Villa days, moved to Saudi in January 2025. He made earnings estimated at around £15M before moving back to Europe by signing for Fenerbahce six months later.
The stats that make Meite special
At 6’3″, Meite is a physical anomaly. His stats for Rennes this season were terrifying for a teenager:
He made a goal every 106 minutes. His frame allowed him to be really dominant. He won 3.4 aerial duels per 90, placing him in the top 12% of Ligue 1. However, he may need to work on his link-up play.
Rennes coach Habib Beye praised his “natural box instinct,” though noted he needs to work on link-up play—something Inzaghi is famous for developing in strikers.
Meite will be hoping he can make the most of his spell in the SPL and could well return to Europe in the future, as he has his whole career ahead of him.
