Saudi Pro League set for £2bn summer spend

Published on 2024-01-20 16:16:20

Despite Jordan Henderson’s departure to Ajax, Saudi dealmakers are not concerned about its impact on the long-term project. There is a planned league-wide expenditure of around £2bn for this summer, encompassing transfer fees, wages, and agent costs. Saudi clubs spent £750m on transfer fees last summer and are expected to surpass this number if certain star names are secured.

The two most high-profile targets are Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah. De Bruyne, whose contract runs until 2025, has been approached by both Riyadh-based clubs, Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal. A fee of over £100m is expected should Manchester City consider an offer. Similarly, Al-Ittihad made a £150m bid for Salah last summer, but his departure from Liverpool is not guaranteed. Al-Hilal, on course to win the Saudi Pro League, has Salah on their wishlist and is likely to prioritize him over other clubs.

Other players targeted by Saudi clubs include Liverpool’s Thiago Alcantara, Tottenham captain Son Heung-min, Napoli’s Victor Osimhen, and Leicester City’s Wilfried Ndidi. The Saudi Pro League also plans to shift focus towards younger, foreign signings and may consider loans to build a relationship with European clubs.

Henderson’s departure is not expected to slow down the Saudi project, as evidenced by Steven Gerrard’s new contract as the manager of Al-Ettifaq. The club, with big ambitions and a new stadium, acknowledges that it will take time for the project to pay off and is giving Gerrard time despite not winning since October. Saudi sources emphasize that the development of clubs will take multiple seasons and expect a continued push for talent, indicating no slowing down of spending in the upcoming summer. They also point out contentment among current players in the Kingdom, suggesting a stable environment for talent acquisition.