Aleksandar Mitrovic: Striker Who Left EPL for Saudi Arabia Says Al Hilal Is ‘Just Like’ Real Madrid

• Aleksandar Mitrovic has aimed a brutal swipe at Premier League clubs Fulham and Newcastle
• The Serbian goal poacher has hit the ground running since swapping the EPL for the Saudi League
• He believes Al-Hilal share similarities with Real Madrid

Aleksandar Mitrovic has likened Al-Hilal to Spanish La Liga giants Real Madrid, asserting that he has no regrets about leaving the Premier League.

Mitrovic, who followed a trend of Premier League stars transitioning to the Middle East, has been in excellent form since joining Al-Hilal.

According to Transfermarkt, the Serbian striker, who previously played for Newcastle United and Fulham, has netted five goals in four matches, including a remarkable hat-trick against Al-Ittihad in the Saudi equivalent of El Clasico.

Reflecting on his £46million move from Fulham to the Blue Waves, the 29-year-old seemed to take a subtle dig at his former club, emphasizing that he doesn't harbour any nostalgia for his time in the Premier League.

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Mitrovic compares Al-Hilal to Real Madrid

During an interview with the Italian newspaper Gazzetta Dello Sport, Mitrovic proudly proclaimed that he had become a member of a "top club" and drew parallels between the Saudi Arabian club's stature in Asia and Real Madrid's standing in Europe.

"I have no nostalgia for England. I played many years there," he said, as quoted by Eurosport.

"I’m happy to have finally arrived at a top club. Al-Hilal is a bit like Real Madrid in Europe. I’m very happy here and I want to do great things here and win titles."

His assertion might be well-founded, given Al-Hilal's standing in Saudi Arabia and across Asia.

The Blue Waves, currently leading the SPL table, hold the title of the most successful club in the oil-rich nation, having secured 18 league championships, and they also boast the accolade of the most accomplished team in the AFC Champions League.

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Mitrovic's stint in England

The prolific striker had a three-year stint at Newcastle, joining from Anderlecht in 2015, followed by a highly productive five full seasons as a Fulham player.

Mitrovic was a notable success at Fulham, impressively notching up 111 goals in 206 appearances for the club.

Mitrovic joins Al-Hilal

Earlier, Sports Brief reported that Mitrovic joined Saudi side Al-Hilal from Premier League Fulham, the two clubs announced.

Mitrovic is believed to have actively pursued this transfer to become part of the increasing number of players opting for a lucrative switch to the Gulf state from Europe.