Saudi Arabian football chiefs are preparing for another onslaught on the transfer market this summer, as officials target big-name players who they want in Middle East
Stars from Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool are on the Saudi Pro League’s huge 50-player shortlist. Saudi chiefs are set to attack the transfer market this summer, flooding their league with even more big names.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Neymar and Sadio Mane are just some of the names who’ve been prised away from Europe to the Middle East since 2022. But officials don’t just want to sign older players, with peak-age players on their shortlist, too.
Arsenal winger Gabriel Martinelli, United captain Bruno Fernandes and Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior are three of the names who Saudi clubs are eyeing, according to talkSPORT. The report adds that Liverpool’s Mo Salah, United midfielder Casemiro and Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski are also on the list.
Other Premier League players who are being targeted include Aston Villa pair Youri Tielemans and Amadou Onana. Their interest in Salah and Fernandes will come as no surprise, as they’ve both been heavily linked with a move to Saudi in the past.
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Salah is a target Al-Hilal, Neom and Al-Qadsiah, and Liverpool have told them that he won’t be sold in January. Saudi Pro League sporting director Michael Emenalo has a long-standing relationship with the Egypt international, 33, and he’d be driving force behind any move.
Meanwhile, Fernandes had the chance to join Al-Hilal last summer and was offered an eye-watering £700,000-a-week contract. After holding talks, the 31-year-old Portuguese eventually rejected the move in favour of staying at United, although he felt ‘hurt’ by their willingness to sell him.
“From the club I felt it was, ‘If you go it’s not so bad for us’,” Fernandes told Canal 11. “It hurts me a bit. More than hurting me, it makes me sad. I’m a player that no one can criticise, I’m always available, I always give my best.
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“I could have left in this transfer window, I would have earned much more money. I would have won many trophies this season, but I decided not to go, not only for family reasons but because I genuinely love the club.”
The report also explains that multiple Saudi clubs are going through a new phase of privatisation. All four teams who are currently controlled by the Saudi Public Investment Fund – Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr, Al-Ittihad and Al-Ahli – are set to have new owners in the long term.
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