Crysencio Summerville is leaving West Ham for Saudi Arabia. The 24-year-old Dutch winger has signed a four-year contract with Al-Hilal, the Riyadh-based club confirmed on 23 July Al-Hilal.

West Ham announced the departure and released a short statement: "West Ham United would like to thank Crysencio for his service and wish him well for the future" The Guardian. The transfer fee is an initial £55m, rising to a possible £60m with add-ons. Earlier reporting from ESPN had cited a £68m figure, but the most recent source settles on the lower headline number.

Summerville arrived at West Ham from Leeds two years ago. Since then, the club suffered relegation to the Championship — English football's second tier — last season, making him a natural candidate to move on. He had previously attracted interest from Italian side Roma, but it is Al-Hilal who won the race for his signature.

For West Ham, the money is significant. The club has yet to make a single new signing in the summer 2026 transfer window. Selling their most valuable attacker for up to £60m gives them funds to reinvest, but with the new season approaching, the squad remains thinner than supporters would like.

Al-Hilal, one of Saudi Arabia's biggest clubs, continue to assemble a squad packed with international talent. Their board of directors is headed by Prince Nawaf bin Saad, and their official announcement described Summerville simply as a "Dutch midfielder." The winger will join a project that has already attracted some of Europe's most recognisable names over the past two seasons.

The deal also sits in a broader summer pattern: Premier League players heading to the Saudi Pro League, and Saudi clubs paying premium fees to get them. Everton's Idrissa Gana Gueye, for instance, is expected to join Saudi club Al-Diriyah after his contract expired on 30 June The Guardian.

What makes Summerville's move stand out is the sheer size of the fee for a player who, twelve months ago, was preparing for a Premier League season at a club that could not survive it. A £55m base price reflects both his individual quality and the financial muscle of the buying club.

For West Ham fans, the frustration is not hard to find. Their best player has gone, no one has come in yet, and the Championship campaign looms. The window stays open, but patience is wearing thin.