Towards the sixth major championship? In recent years, Saudi Arabia has spared no expense to become attractive and capture the best footballers in the world. Vincent Aboubakar joined Al-Nassr in July 2021. Luiz Gustavo, Grzegorz Krychowiak and Ryad Boudebouz followed last summer, but in recent weeks everything has accelerated.
After the last World Cup in Qatar, regional rival, the kingdom led by Mohammed Bin Salmane passed the second. Cristiano Ronaldo, five times Ballon d’Or and quarter-finalist a few weeks ago on the other side of the Salwa Canal, is packing his bags in Riyadh, the capital. On January 1, “CR7” is officially a player of Al-Nassr, club nine times champion of the country. With the key to a fabulous contract. 200 million euros per year, for two and a half seasons.
And the PIF arrived. In 2021, a Saudi investment fund bought the English club Newcastle. With quick results. On the verge of relegation at this time, the Magpies will play the Champions League next season. Since then, the sovereign wealth fund of the Saudi kingdom, estimated at 620 billion dollars in assets, has invested locally. The Public Investment Fund, abbreviated as PIF, now owns 75% of four of the main clubs in the championship, which can be described as state-owned: Al-Nassr, Al-Ahli, Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad. Four clubs with almost unlimited means.
At the beginning of June, Saudi Arabia declared, via a source to AFP, to be “in contact with more than 10 players, many of whom have won the World Cup or the Champions League, so that they join the Saudi championship. » Offers “quite lucrative” to create “a very competitive championship. World-class players to build a very strong and competitive league and raise the level of Saudi clubs.”
Thing promised, thing due. Since the beginning of the month, several football stars have landed in the country of “MBS”. After Ronaldo, it was none other than Karim Benzema, his former friend at Real Madrid, who joined the Saudi Pro League. The former Lyonnais will play for Al-Ittihad next season, alongside a certain… N’Golo Kanté. The 2018 world champion left Chelsea, free of any contract, after seven years in the English capital. The two Frenchmen join a team, defending champion, composed mainly of players from the country but also of Romarinho, a Brazilian top scorer in the history of the club (94 goals).
Landed in Al-Nassr on January 1, Cristiano Ronaldo is well surrounded. The capital club can count on the Brazilian attacking midfielder Talisca but also on former Ligue 1 residents: Davide Ospina (Nice), Ghislain Konan (Reims), Alvaro Gonzalez and Luis Gustavo (Marseille). Above all, the former Manchester United striker should be joined quickly by Hakim Ziyech. The Moroccan striker, semi-finalist in Qatar, would be very close to an agreement with the club nine times winner of the championship. After Kanté at Al-Ittihiad, another 2018 world champion could strengthen the ranks of the Saudi Pro League. According to Foot Mercato, Antoine Griezmann’s agents have met with Al-Nassr leaders for a possible transfer. The yellow and blue club could then field a Griezmann/Ronaldo/Ziyech attack!
Opponents last season in the Premier League, Kalidou Koulibaly and Ruben Neves will meet in a few weeks at Al-Hilal. The Senegalese defender and the Portuguese midfielder thus join the most successful club in the championship with 18 coronations. Unlike its competitors, who signed players at the end of the contract, Al-Hilal did not hesitate to take out the checkbook. 23 million euros to snatch the 32-year-old defender from Chelsea. 55 million euros to attract the 26-year-old midfielder to Wolverhampton since 2017. Al-Hilal is above all the club that attempted the big coup Lionel Messi, before the Argentinian took over the management of MLS and Inter Miami.
Some formalizations but above all many rumors for a few weeks. Saudi Arabia is back on repeat like any good summer hit. And especially on the side of London. After Koulibaly at Al-Hilal, and soon Ziyech at Al-Nassr, other Chelsea players should head to the Gulf. It must be said that the links are more than minimal between the two parties. The PIF is a minority investor in the consortium which bought the London club in May 2022, since led by Todd Boehly. Thus, Edouard Mendy could take the direction of Al-Ahly. Since Kanté signed for Al-Ittihad, each of the four big Saudi clubs would have an ex-Blues in their ranks. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang could also make his arrival.
Other big names in football have been mentioned, here and there, for an immediate landing in the Saudi championship. Angel Di Maria, looking for a new challenge after Juventus Turin, Roberto Firmino, at the end of his contract with Liverpool, Sergio Ramos in the same situation at Paris Saint-Germain, Hugo Lloris for whom a departure from Tottenham is becoming clearer and even… Marco Verratti. Marcelo Brozovic or Seko Fofana could follow soon, on the side of Al-Nassr.
Other players, however, were able to resist the sirens of Mohammed Ben Salmane. Ilkay Gündogan joined Barça, Sergio Busquets signed at Inter Miami, where Jordi Alba should follow. Luka Modric has, for his part, extended at Real Madrid.
And since Saudi Arabia wants to do it right, it is also considering attracting coaches. Steven Gerrard rejected an offer from Ettifaq FC, Massimiliano Allegri would be contacted by Al-Hilal according to the Italian press. Free of any contract since leaving Valencia, Gennaro Gattuso would not be insensitive to calls from the Gulf country, as SkySport reports.
Saudi Arabia wants to create a “very competitive league.” He has until August 11 – the date of the resumption of the Saudi Pro League – to realize his dream. Before aiming even higher with a bid to organize the 2030 World Cup. Certainly, Saudi Arabia will be the soap opera of the summer, and maybe a little more.
