Inside Saudi Arabia’s Luxury Football League: From Cristiano Ronaldo to Romelu Lukaku and Beyond

Benzema & Kanté there, Modric waves off

Cristiano Ronaldo (38) started things off by joining Al-Nassr FC in January – other stars followed this summer in Karim Benzema (35) and N’Golo Kanté (32), both of whom have joined or will join champions Al-Ittihad . The Saudi Pro League is preparing to become what the North American Major League Soccer was for a long time from a European football perspective and the Chinese Super League for at least a short period of time: a luxury league full of top stars who are lured with gigantic contracts. Even though Lionel Messi (35) has canceled and is moving to Miami instead, the 16 teams in the Saudi Arabian House of Lords, controlled by sheikhs, don’t want to be stopped. The next transfer targets have already been identified – the latest names: Romelu Lukaku (30) and Riyad Mahrez (32).

According to the newspaper “The GuardianThe Belgian national player has a contract from Al-Hilal SFC worth 20 million euros per year. This is the club that is said to have offered Messi €400m a year previously. According to reports, Ronaldo and Benzema receive 200 million euros per year. In contrast, the offer for Lukaku seems almost economical.

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	R. Lukaku
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Chelsea FC 50 % Al-Hilal Premier League Saudi Pro League

The broadcaster “CBS” had brought Neymar (31) into play as a potential alternative to Messi for Al-Hilal. And at similar conditions as Ronaldo receives from his city rival from Riyadh. The four-time Asian Champions League winner is reportedly ready to offer PSG a $45m fee. Luka Modric (37), tied to Real Madrid until the end of the season, is said to have considered a move to Al-Hilal. However, the playmaker told a Radio Marca reporter (quoted via Fabricius Roman) that he will continue to see him in Madrid next season.

From Ronaldo to Lukaku: why are clubs investing so heavily in Saudi Arabia?

Al-Hilal is not just any club that the Saudi sheikhs recently dreamed up. No Asian club has more trophies in its trophy cabinet than the Riyadh team, founded in 1957. Al-Hilal has won 66 official titles, including a record 18 championships. The majority owner of Al-Hilal, with 75 percent, is the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), which is endowed with 620 billion euros. The consortium includes English Champions League contenders Newcastle United as well as Al-Hilal’s national rivals Al-Ittihad, Al-Nassr and Al-Ahli, also holding 75 percent. So the two biggest clubs in Riyadh and Jeddah, the biggest cities in the country. The remaining 25 percent of the clubs are held by Saudi non-profit organizations.

“The acquisition of the four clubs will open up various commercial opportunities, including investments, partnerships and sponsorships in numerous sports,” the PFI said at the time of the acquisition. According to reports, political calculations are behind the investments. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has identified sport as a vital part of his overall strategy to improve the country’s international standing. Saudi Arabia disregards basic human and freedom rights, for example homosexuality is forbidden and women’s rights and freedom of expression are severely restricted. In view of this, the plans can be described as “sportswashing”.

Bin Salman’s big goal is the 2030 World Cup, for which Messi should actually be won as an ambassador. Rumors that the superstar would move on to Saudi Arabia after the end of his contract with Inter Miami arose immediately after his decision was announced.

Looking ahead to the seven years leading up to the World Cup, bin Salman has opened up the league to privatization to allow companies to invest in clubs. Insofar as one can speak of a private company in the narrower sense of the word at the PIF, which the Crown Prince chairs. According to reports, the aim is to offer one of the ten most attractive national competitions worldwide. According to the agency “SPA”, the revenue of the Saudi Pro League should increase from 120 million to 480 million US dollars by the year 2030. In the stadiums, for example, the Ronaldo deal has already paid off: compared to 2021/22, the average attendance has improved from around 8,000 to around 10,000 fans per game, at Al-Nassr even from 8,000 to over 17,500.

Mahrez, Coutinho & Co.: Who else has offers from Saudi Arabia?

It is unclear whether Lukaku will accept Al-Hilal’s offer. The future of the 30-year-old has been the subject of discussions for weeks. Staying at loan club Inter Milan should now be just as possible again as a return to regular club Chelsea. Lukaku is still under contract there until 2026, but was not happy after his €113m move from Inter 2021 and therefore returned a year later on loan to the Nerazzurri, with whom he reached the Champions League final. According to the Guardian, Inter representatives are expected in London this week to discuss the future of the goalscorer and a possible move from goalkeeper André Onana (27) to Stamford Bridge.

Meanwhile, Mahrez is said to be open to a change, with an offer from Al-Ahli. Loud Fabricius Roman Manchester City would only give up the winger for a high fee. The Algerian’s contract with the Champions League winner is valid until 2025.

In addition, there have been some rumors in recent days about players who could move to Saudi Arabia – from Edin Dzeko (37; Inter) and Jordi Alba (34; Barcelona) to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (33; Chelsea) and Mauro Icardi (30; loaned to Galatasaray by PSG). Wilfried Zaha (30; Crystal Palace), whose contract expires at the end of June, Ronaldo club Al-Nassr is said to have canceledwhich is why the focus of the capital city is now on Hakim Ziyech (30) from Chelsea.

According to media reports, a prominent coach, Steven Gerrard, is also in talks with a Saudi club this week: Ettifaq FC, where ex-Mainz player Robin Quaison (29) is under contract. The club from Dammam are said to want to sweeten Gerrard’s signature with an offer for one of his favorite players: Philippe Coutinho (31), whom the Liverpool legend already led to Aston Villa in January 2022. The former Bayern professional is said to have a two-year contract.

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