Saudi Pro League spending to focus on ‘highest quality’ players

Saudi Pro League (SPL) clubs will only attempt to sign ‘top tier’ players to join Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Karim Benzema until January after their summer spending of £784m (£972m) dollars) have left the teams “what they need,” said SPL director of football Michael Emenalo.

Heading into the January transfer window, Saudi sides have already been linked with moves for Jadon Sancho and Raphaël Varane from Manchester United, while champions Al Ittihad are expected to return with a new offer for Mohamed Salah after the rejection of £150million bid for Liverpool striker. in September.

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But Emenalo, the former director of football at Chelsea and AS Monaco, says the days when Saudi clubs signed several players in one go are over.

“Whatever additional improvements we need to make to a club, with time off and preparation, we believe they will be additions of the highest level,” Emenalo said in an interview with SPL .

“I hope that [January] is not very busy, because I think the work that has been done has been quite interesting and aggressive, and most clubs, I believe, have what they need. Hopefully the focus will now turn to working within the training facilities to improve these players and give them time to adapt and perform.

“I think we accomplished what we set out to accomplish, which was to go into the market and compete aggressively. But we also wanted to do that while giving every club in the league an opportunity to compete. improve. I believe we have accomplished that.

“And I believe that what you see, in terms of the quality of the matches and the performance of most of the international players acquired, is a confirmation that the transfer market has gone relatively well. And we hope that we will continue to perfect our process going forward.

Alongside Ronaldo, Neymar and Benzema, who have all moved to Saudi Arabia in the past 12 months, SPL teams have also attracted players such as Jordan Henderson, N’golo Kanté and Roberto Firmino after offering huge salaries to lure them from the Premier League.

But Emenalo says the current plan for Saudi Arabia, given the likelihood of the country hosting the 2034 men’s World Cup, is to use the names of stars to help develop local talent.

“We know we are now attracting world-class players; we know we have attracted local players who want to achieve incredible standards for their clubs and for the national team,” he said.

“And for them to be able to do that, for them to be developed in the right way, the equipment and infrastructure must be at the highest level.

“We’ve seen it in countries like England: this sudden influx of world-class players into the league has led to the development of world-class local players, and I think that’s what’s going to happen here.

“But you have to grow these players, and when you use the word ‘grow’ or ‘develop’ that means you have to look at the academies, you have to look at the younger players. That’s where the development process starts. .

“I have always explained, privately and publicly, that top footballers are incredible and unique artists, and that what they can do, you can only dream of until you try to do it. do, when you realize how difficult it is. These guys are exceptional artists, and these artists, over time, will be greatly appreciated and copied by the youth of the country and it will be for the good of all. “