Saudi Pro League Sides Apply Prudence in Their Transfer Dealing as Focus Shifts to Younger Players Entering Their Prime
Last year, it was a flurry of activities as Saudi Pro League sides signed 97 players in total. This summer, the activities have been limited to young players signing, with a noticeable absence of big-name signings. Top players like Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne have expressed an interest in joining Saudi sides, but no approach has been made, and, in some cases, there has been an unwillingness to pay exorbitant transfer fees.
The total transfer fees expenses in the 2023-24 season came to $908, but a new directive has shifted the winds, leading to less money spent so far this summer. Clubs are now focused on signing talented players who can come in and address the existing technical gaps.
Unlike the top European leagues, where each club adopts its transfer policies, the Saudi Pro League follows a centralized approach guided at the top by the SPL’s director of football, Michael Emenalo. Under his stewardship, clubs have this summer shied away from big names signing and focused on targeting players based on how well they fit in the team.
During the winter transfer window, Al Ettifaq were forced to terminate Jordan Henderson’s contract after the former Liverpool man expressed a desire to go back to Europe. The saga was the wake-up call SPL clubs needed to realize that lucrative contracts aside, not everyone would want to play in the Roshni Saudi League. This has led to a shift towards focusing on retention of the already acclimatized players.
In the transfer market, Saudi clubs have been steadfast in their focus on fair valuation when negotiating transfer fees. European clubs like Manchester United and Barcelona, which had pinned their hopes on high transfer fees to alleviate their financial woes, have been unsuccessful, with Saudi clubs exploring more financially prudent options, where the fees are deemed to be too high.
A shift to recruiting younger talent just entering their prime has also seen the spending reduce significantly. With the appeal of growing talent and increasing players’ value, Saudi clubs are resorting to making smart moves based on their scouting reports.
