Almena gives up Saudi fortune to join Dinamo, here is how much he will earn

Iker Almena has given up most of his Saudi salary to join Dinamo Zagreb. The Spanish winger will earn about €400,000 a year in Zagreb, roughly the same amount he made during his loan at Hajduk Split, rather than the approximately €3 million included in his contract with Al-Qadsiah.

Dinamo signed the 22-year-old on a one-year loan from the Saudi club. The Croatian side can activate a purchase option at the end of the season and sees Almena as part of its longer-term plans. Al-Qadsiah initially sought €5 million for a permanent transfer, but would now reportedly accept about €3 million. Because Almena will enter the final year of his Saudi contract after this season, Dinamo hopes to negotiate an even lower fee.

Coach Kovačević’s team views Almena as an ideal addition because he can operate on either wing. He made a positive impression in Croatian football with Hajduk, scoring four goals and providing three assists. An injury limited him to 23 appearances in the club’s white shirt.

Hajduk had also borrowed Almena from Al-Qadsiah but could not keep him after the Saudi club demanded €5 million. His move to Dinamo angered some Hajduk supporters, and they also objected to his deleting photographs wearing the club’s shirt from Instagram. He is expected to face boos when Dinamo visits Split for the derby on October 10.

Almena has reportedly arrived in strong physical condition and should not need a long period of individual training before competing for a place in the team. His willingness to sacrifice about €2.6 million a year compared with his Saudi deal is presented as a clear sign of how strongly he wanted the move to Dinamo.