Cristiano Ronaldo stunned his fans and the football universe by leaving top-level European football in December, opting to move to Al Nassr and become the World’s highest-paid footballer on a reported 200 million dollars a year
Many were surprised by his decision after leaving Manchester United, with nothing in the way of comparable talent in Saudi for the five-time Champions League winner. That could now change, though, with a report from ESPN claiming that the Gulf State will make a push for more elite-level talent on free transfers.
Europe’s top six leagues, the Premier League, LaLiga, Serie A, the Bundesliga, Ligue 1, and Portugal’s Primeira Liga will see several familiar faces coming to the end of their contracts this summer, with Messi the biggest by some margin.
Lionel Messi, the Argentine World Cup-winning captain’s recent deal with Paris Saint-Germain is ending after two years, and Saudi side Al Hilal is believed to be trying to draw him with a big money offer.
He won’t be the only one, according to reports, with Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema, Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino, and Manchester City’s Ilkay Gundogan are also likely to be targeted upon entering free agency.
The plan is backed by Saudi’s Ministry of Sport, with the country expected to submit a tricontinental 2030 World Cup bid, combining with Egypt and Greece.
This won’t be like the Chinese league a few years ago. It isn’t a fire-hose strategy of blowing huge sums of money. Saudi Arabia is in a period of rapid transition and football is a mass participation sport with a huge following, as shown during the World Cup in Qatar, and the ambition is to grow the Saudi Pro League into the best in the region.
But this isn’t about trying to sign the top 50 players in the world. It is about raising the quality and profile of the league and making it the first-choice destination outside of the big leagues in Europe.”
ESPN quoted a source.
Noticing a huge upturn in interest, the SPL has already secured broadcasting deals with Portugal, Italy, Greece, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland within months of Ronaldo’s arrival at Al Nassr, while it will host the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup for the first time in December.
On top of the aforementioned names, other free agents in their early-to-mid-30s that could also be targeted may include Chelsea’s N’Golo Kante, Real Madrid’s Toni Kroos and Luka Modric, as well as Juventus’ Angel Di Maria.
