Except that a year and a half later, the Saudi Pro League seems to have fallen into line. With a radical change in strategy: clubs no longer invest in big names in football, but rather in players of the future. Spending was then halved (431 million exactly) during the summer of 2024. A trend which should be confirmed during this new transfer window, which opened this Wednesday.
A less lively transfer window, disappointing audiences and stars leaving: is this already the end of the football mirage in Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia was too greedy
However, high-sounding names are often cited among the future stars of the Arabian Peninsula. Kevin de Bruyne, who is free to sign wherever he wishes, or Paul Pogba are among them, but the Saudi Pro League recently reminded clubs of their obligations.
In a press release published two days before the opening of the transfer window, it recalls the rules put in place regarding recruitment. Among them, clubs can only sign a maximum number of eight foreign players over the age of 21. The aim is to promote the development of local football and the emergence of new talents from Saudi Arabia, as the country begins its first preparations for the 2034 World Cup.
The De Bruyne and Pogba rumors were therefore quickly denied. In this press release, the Saudi body specifies that “thehe 18 clubs reached the maximum number of eight foreign players over the age of 21 per team at the end of the summer transfer window. Therefore, new signings in this category during the winter transfer window will force clubs to terminate contracts, sell players or remove members from the squad.”
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In other words, to hope to enlist stars of European football, Saudi clubs will have to downsize. The internationalization desired by Saudi Arabia in the summer of 2023 then takes a new turn. It is still too early to say whether the transfer of Seko Fofana to Rennes could lead to an exodus, or if Saudi clubs want to sell to better buy.
European clubs can nevertheless rub their hands. Several talented young players could quickly turn around and relaunch their careers in a club on the Old Continent. For Pro League clubs, there are perhaps some good moves to be made.
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