According to ESPN’s report on Wednesday, the Saudi Professional League continues its pursuit of some of football’s top talents, with clubs now setting their sights on several Premier League players. Notable names such as Liverpool’s Mo Salah, Virgil van Dijk, and Alisson, Manchester City’s Kevin de Bruyne and Bernardo Silva, Manchester United’s Raphaël Varane, Casemiro, and Bruno Fernandes, as well as Fulham’s Andreas Pereira, are reportedly on the radar of Saudi Professional League teams.
Among the teams rumored to be interested in these Premier League stars are Al Ahli, Al Ittihad, and Al Nassr, the latter having acquired Cristiano Ronaldo at the beginning of the 2023 calendar year. Ronaldo’s signing marked the league’s first major coup, with the superstar agreeing to a lucrative 2.5-year deal worth $200 million per season. Following Ronaldo’s move, the league continued to attract star power, including Neymar, Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kanté, Roberto Firmino, Sergej Milinković-Savić, Sadio Mané, Riyad Mahrez, and Jordan Henderson.
In the previous season, Saudi teams spent a staggering $957 million to secure the services of these high-profile players. While their spending is expected to decrease this summer, they remain eager to invest significant sums to lure Premier League stars, as reported by ESPN. Interestingly, in 2023, only Premier League teams outspent their Saudi counterparts, totaling $1.39 billion.
Among the potential targets, Salah and de Bruyne stand out for their exceptional contributions to English club football over the past decade. Salah, in particular, has been instrumental in Liverpool’s success, leading the club to a Premier League title (2019-20) and a Champions League title (2018-19) during his seven-season stint, with 205 goals to his name, ranking fifth in club history. Both Salah and van Dijk have contracts expiring in 2025, while Alisson’s contract runs through 2027.
De Bruyne, on the other hand, has played a pivotal role in Manchester City’s dominance since joining the club in 2015, helping secure five Premier League titles and a Champions League title, including a continental treble last season. De Bruyne’s contract extends through 2025, while his teammate Silva is tied down until 2026.
Among the mentioned Premier League stars, only Varane’s contract is set to expire this summer. Currently, Al Hilal leads the Saudi Professional League table with 59 points, followed closely by Ronaldo’s Al Nassr with 52 points.
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