Ever since Cristiano Ronaldo joined Riyadh- grounded club Al Nassr in December of last time, the Saudi Pro League has gone up in elevation and global recognition. This summer the league is continuing its signing spree. At the centre of this are four of the Kingdom’s clubs Al Nassr, Al Hilal, Al Ittihad, and Al Ahli. Saudi Arabia’s autonomous wealth fund, the PIF, owns a 75 stake in each of these brigades.
On the face, the Saudi Pro League seems like a withdrawal home for Europe’s nobility. A lower position in football is desirable for the tired bodies of players who have plied their trade in Europe for times, and a chunky stipend sweetens the deal. But not every player moving to the Kingdom this summer is at that stage of their career.
Ruben Neves is maybe the most curious case of them all. The 26- time old Portuguese captains Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers. For a long time, the midfielder was touted for a starting situation at one of Europe’s top clubs. Neves had indeed agreed particular terms with Barcelona but the deal fell through due to Barcelona’s precarious fiscal situation. Now he has joined Al Hilal for a figure of€ 55 million.
With Neves, it seems like the plutocrat did the talking. For a player his high, leaving Europe for a league that plays at a lower footballing position seems unbelievable. And yet Neves has done it, and conceivably set a precedent for further similar moves to follow.
also, there’s an alternate set of players, those in their early 30s with a plenitude of options available in Europe. Just a season agone, Kalidou Koulibaily was one of Europe’s most sought-after centre tails. Having starred at Napoli for 8 seasons, Chelsea inked the Senegalese for€ 38 million last summers. But after one poor season in London, it looks like Koulibaly has dumped the high pressure and high demands of European football for an easier design in Saudi Arabia. Al Hilal spent just€ 23 million to subscribe the player – with Chelsea incurring a loss of€ 15 million on an investment that came with big prospects.
30- time-old Hakim Ziyech is also set for a move to Saudi Arabia – only 6 months after starring in Morocco’s run to 4th place at the FIFA World Cup. After falling out of favour at Chelsea, a move to Italy sounded to be on the cards, but Al Nassr came calling and Ziyech took up their largely economic offer. 32- time old Eduard Mendy, who was necessary for Chelsea’s 2021 titleholders League Palm, has since drooped behind Kepa Arrizabalaga as the first-choice in-between the sticks. AS Monaco was reportedly interested in bringing Mendy back to France, but formerly again it seems like plutocrats prevailed as Al Ahli came calling.
And also there’s N’Golo Kante – football’s widely cherished star. Despite a season beset by injury, Kante and Chelsea were in addresses for a contract extension. When fit, Kante remains one of Europe’s stylish protective midfielders, indeed at the age of 32. He has now joined Benzema at Al Ittihad, on a contract worth€ 25 million a time.
An analogous pattern is present among this group of players. They were all enduring worried times at their clubs, but their gift and capability were plainly still present. A simple change of decor would’ve been enough to rediscover form and continue contending at the loftiest position, but it seems like a combination of lower- stakes and advanced- pays in Saudi Arabia appealed most to these players.
For 35- time old Karim Benzema, the reasons for moving to Al Hilal may be a lot clearer. Long having stepped down from public platoon scores, and formerly having won everything there’s to win with Real Madrid, there wasn’t much further for Benzema to play for in Europe. Despite another good season at Real Madrid, Benzema easily isn’t the same player he was, with injury and the demand of playing multiple competitions every season taking a risk on his body. For him, the Saudi Pro League represents a passage on calm waters to end his outstanding football career.
Despite a string of players leaving for Arabia, there are a couple who stamped their commitment to continue playing at the top position of the sport, at least for the time being. Ilkay Gundogan( 32) and Luka Modric( 37), both turned down extremely high-paying deals for a free transfer to Barcelona and a contract extension at Real Madrid independently.
Unlike what the Chinese Super League or MLS had tried in history, the Saudi Pro League seems to be situating itself as further than just a withdrawal home, and rather a feasible destination for European players still far out from their evening times. Right now plutocrat seems to be the driving force behind new accessions, but as the league’s gift pool grows, it may grow to be further than just that.
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