Man City “powerless” in Mahrez departure
Guardiola warns clubs against competition from Saudi Arabia: danger is “reality”
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Pep Guardiola has spoken about Saudi Arabian clubs’ transfer activities.
© Quelle: Uncredited/Kyodo News/AP/dpa
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The clubs of the Saudi Arabian league are causing a stir with top transfers this summer. Man City coach Pep Guardiola has now warned other clubs using the example of the departure of his player Riyad Mahrez.
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Triple winner Manchester City didn’t actually want to give up their star striker Riyad Mahrez. City coach Pep Guardiola has now issued an urgent warning to other European clubs that the transfer of the Algerian to Al-Ahli went ahead on Friday. “It’s no longer about danger. It’s the reality,” warned the ex-Bayern coach on Saturday, referring to the purchasing power of Saudi Arabian clubs. The desert state wants to “create a strong league” and is well on the way there due to its financial resources.
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Guardiola on Saudi transfers: “No one would have thought it possible”
Saudi Arabia has “changed the market,” concluded the Catalan. Cristiano Ronaldo started things off with his transfer to Al-Nassr last winter. In the coming season, even more superstars like Karim Benzema, Jordan Henderson and Mahrez will play in the Pro League. “A few months ago, when Cristiano was the only one who went there, nobody would have thought that so many top players would go there,” said Guardiola, warning: “There will be even more in the future. All clubs must be aware of this process.”
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The clubs Al-Nassr, Al-Hilal, Al-Ittihad and second division champion Al-Ahli were each taken over by the state Public Investment Fund (PIF) at 75 percent at the beginning of June – and have the necessary financial arguments for transfers on their side. As with Mahrez, whom City did not want to sell at all, but then had to do it for financial reasons. “We definitely thought he would stay here,” said the coach. But then the right winger received an “incredible offer” – in which City “couldn’t tell his player: ‘Don’t do it’,” Guardiola continued. The club was “powerless”.
Man City star Mahrez earns five times that at Al-Ahli
According to media reports, the 32-year-old Mahrez now earns five times his city salary at the Saudi club headed by German coach Matthias Jaissle. In addition, Al-Ahli transferred 35 million euros to ManCity – a fee that is 15 million euros above the market value (according to transfermarkt.de) of the Algerian.
Will the transfer boom in Saudi Arabia continue? Guardiola doesn’t dare to make any predictions: “I don’t know how long they can keep it up. But the players want to have that experience and play in this league.”
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2023-07-29 16:25:37
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