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Mohamed Kader Meite has been third-choice forward behind Esteban Lepaul and Breel Embolo this season As the transfer window comes to a close, one move that has gone under the radar is Al-Hilal's signing of Rennes' teenage striker Mohamed Kader Meite. The 18-year-old Frenchman has joined the Saudi Pro League club for a reported 30m euros (£25. 9m), which makes him the second-highest non-Premier League signing of the transfer window, only beaten by Lucas Paqueta's return to Flamengo from West Ham United. Meite has signed a three-and-a-half-year deal, despite reported interest from a number of Premier League clubs after impressing in France's Ligue 1. "It is notable because Manchester United were reportedly linked before Al-Hilal's huge bid got the deal done, " Football Transfers' Paul Mac Donald told BBC Sport. "It also solidifies the Saudis' statement of intent. They are going to go big on young talent this summer and Meite's purchase is the first domino to fall. " Meite, who is French-born but of Ivorian descent, came through Rennes' youth set-up before breaking into the first team and signing his first professional contract at the club in November 2024. The forward made his senior debut shortly after, as a substitute in a 2-0 league defeat by Toulouse, and has since made 32 appearances for the club - scoring five goals and registering two assists. Meite has also represented France at four different youth levels. "He is a wonderful talent, " said French football expert Julien Laurens. "It is a bit of a shame that he has gone to Saudi Arabia, but the money they offered was good for him. "I don't think he will stay there for long - he will end up in the Premier League at some point. "Maybe a few English clubs thought 'Let's see how he does in another environment before we bring him to the Premier League' - but he does have huge potential. " Laurens also described Meite as a "modern number nine" who is "strong, quick, hungry and good on the ball". He is not the only player heading out of Rennes though, with the club closing in on another high-value sale. Liverpool have agreed to sign defender Jeremy Jacquet for £55m plus £5m in add-ons, subject to a medical, but the 20-year-old will not link up with the Reds until the summer. Follow live coverage of transfer deadline day What is going on with Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia? Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page All your sport quizzes in one place Palace sign Strand Larsen in deal worth up to £48m but Mc Neil loan off Premier League: Sunderland's Talbi adds brilliant third against Burnley from outside box Will Seahawks stop Patriots' record bid? Lowdown on Super Bowl 2026 Kendrick Lamar: The artist who has reshaped modern hip-hop A high stakes, globetrotting cat-and-mouse game Could Heated Rivalry positively influence ice hockey? Lewis Moody opens up about his MND diagnosis Transfer window closed as Palace confirm Strand Larsen deal & Phillips joins Sheff Utd All the done deals on deadline day in one place Will Seahawks stop Patriots' record bid? Lowdown on Super Bowl 2026 Six Nations preview & BBC pundit predictions 'Complacent and lost control' - Man City's second-half problem Why I loved a deadline-day deal - and never saw them as a risk 'If Arsenal don't win title now the blame will be entirely their own' Happy tennis, serious name - how history-maker Alcaraz clinched career Slam What's gone wrong for Chelsea in WSL and is Bompastor still right coach? Is Carrick proving Amorim's Man Utd tenure was a wasted year? Why 2026 could be GB's most successful Winter Olympics The most powerful woman in football - meet game's first female super agent I never stopped believing - Calvert-Lewin Your Winter Olympics need-to-know guide in six charts Nine siblings and a dog called Zoomer - Wirtz in his own words Barcelona 'shakedown' offers first hints of F1 2026 Cages, crushes and stabbings - is European away safety getting worse? The NFL's 'Queen's Gambit' who helped create $1. 5bn worth of talent Record-breaking World Cup, so why no title sponsor for domestic league? Copyright © 2026 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.