High salaries in the Saudi Pro League could attract referees from the English Premier League. They could be following in the footsteps of some of the notable players who jumped ship to the Middle East this summer.
The Saudi Pro League signed high-profile players in the last transfer window. This helped bring the league international attention and raise its profile. Players like Neymar, Benzema, Mane, Kante, Mahrez and Firmino have all left Europe.
Thanks to the lucrative contract offers, numerous foreign coaches also flocked to the league. Former Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo and Liverpool star Steven Gerrard joined the league as coaches.
With the Gulf state’s growing prowess on the field, attention has turned to the officials overseeing games there.
Saudi Arabia offers Premier League referees unparalleled salaries
As The Times reports, Saudi Arabia is currently actively recruiting top officials from across Europe for permanent positions. Numerous Premier League executives and other top European league executives have been approached about the possibility of leaving the continent.
At the peak of their profession, Premier League referees can earn over $365,000. The Saudi league, on the other hand, could potentially provide a significant salary increase.
Under the current system, referees from other countries can officiate exhibition games. For example, Michael Oliver was paid $3,650 to referee a match between Al-Hilal and Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr, The Mirror claims.
This sum is double the amount referees earn per game in England’s top flight.
Mark Clattenburg warns the game management against a change
Mark Clattenburg has warned that if referees leave the Premier League and move to the Saudi Arabian league, they risk being banned from officiating at the World Cup. Clattenburg, a former Premier League official and current Greek Football Association employee, led the charge in Saudi Arabia during the 2017/18 season.
The move cost the Englishman the opportunity to referee at the World and European Championships. However, he later admitted that he was unaware of the consequences of his actions.
“My problem with the idea of sending full-time referees from Europe there is that I cannot imagine referees giving up the chance to referee in the UEFA Champions League, the European Championships or the World Cup, unless they are at the end of their career.” .
“I thought I could still go to the World Cup and take one of the European places, but FIFA and UEFA insisted that I should be considered a Saudi referee and I didn’t want to replace anyone from there,” he told The Times.
FOTO: IMAGO / Pro Sports Images
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2023-09-28 22:16:06
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