Emmanuel Dennis is closing in on a surprise move to the Saudi Pro League after talks opened with Al-Shabab, Soccernet.ng understands.
The Nigerian forward, 27, has been without a club since leaving Nottingham Forest by mutual consent last month.
Dennis joined Forest for £20m in 2022 but never cemented a role, drifting through loan spells at İstanbul Başakşehir, Watford, and Blackburn Rovers.
Now, a SportsBoom report suggests Al-Shabab are weighing up a two-year deal for the versatile Super Eagles attacker.
The Saudis have already landed former Burnley captain Josh Brownhill this month and see Dennis as another low-risk addition, with no transfer fee required and wages not expected to be a stumbling block.
Dennis is understood to be prioritising regular football after two frustrating seasons on the fringes.
Despite flashes of his pace and sharp finishing, his career has lacked stability since leaving Watford, where he struck 10 goals in the Premier League during the 2021-22 campaign.
A move to Riyadh could revive his trajectory.
Al-Shabab, one of the Saudi Pro League’s most ambitious sides, have previously employed three Nigerian greats: Rashidi Yekini, Michael Emenalo and Odion Ighalo, the latter scoring 22 times in just 32 games.
Dennis’ availability on a free makes him an attractive proposition for a club trying to add proven attacking depth.
Nottingham Forest can confirm that Emmanuel Dennis has left the Club following the mutual termination of his contract.
— Nottingham Forest (@NFFC) August 31, 2025
We wish Emmanuel well for the future. pic.twitter.com/KcrYM2ccgI
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While he has held talks with several European outfits, the financial and sporting package in Saudi Arabia is thought to be the strongest on the table.
For a player eager to rebuild his confidence and reassert his international ambitions, Al-Shabab may offer the stage Dennis has been searching for.
Dennis represented Nigeria at under-23 level before being called up to the senior team, making his debut in an international friendly against Ukraine in 2019.
The former Club Brugge forward has since picked up eight caps for the three-time African champions, scoring once.
