The emergence of Saudi Arabia on the transfer market “does not worry” MLS boss Don Garber, who estimated on Sunday, ahead of the presentation of Leo Messi at Inter Miami, that the championship North American was not “threatened” by the financial power of the kingdom.
“I saw what happened in China and I didn’t worry about it, any more than I worry about what is happening in Saudi Arabia, it’s quite the opposite,” said Garber in reference to the huge expenses between 2015 and 2017 of the Chinese championship, which has since returned to the ranks.
Messi’s signing from Miami is the latest big-name arrival in MLS. Preferred destination for football stars at the end of their careers (Thierry Henry, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Andrea Pirlo, etc.), the North American championship must however face the recent offensive of Saudi clubs. The transfers of the Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo, then the Golden Ball Karim Benzema in particular, attest to the new attractiveness of the rich oil country.
From there to overshadow the MLS? “The fact that we can expand the power and influence of professional football around the world presents an opportunity for all of us in emerging markets,” Garber argued. “You know, it’s not just about Europe,” he insisted. “It’s about here. So I don’t feel threatened by that at all. Besides, it’s just one more element in this very complicated business of ours, and we’ll get through it, everything will be fine for us.
According to Garber, the decision of Messi, who received fabulous offers to play in the Saudi league, is a sign of the continued rise of MLS. “When the greatest player in history makes MLS the league of their choice, I believe it’s proof of where they are and where they will go in the years to come,” he said. .
