They signed Oscar from Chelsea who off the top of my head was better than any of the players who’ve moved to Saudi?
Saudi signing wave: What are the implications? Is it weakening the Premier League?
- Thread starter justsomebloke
- Start date
-
In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) was joined by comedian Ali Woods to look back at the best and worst moments of a rollercoaster season with the annual United Hour Awards.
Has Ten Hag been sacked yet? We're not sure and we hope not, but it's looking more likely as the days pass.
Who should replace him and why is it taking so long to make a decision?
Its a fad, like the Chinese league. Soon Saudi will realise they need to invest in their youth.
This initial outlay is just for attracting eyeballs and establishing the league as one to watch for. I’m sure their viewing figures skyrocketed after so much European talent were bought.
This initial outlay is just for attracting eyeballs and establishing the league as one to watch for. I’m sure their viewing figures skyrocketed after so much European talent were bought.
I know there was a lot of noise around it a few weeks ago but it’s actually been 2 players, Koulibaly and Mendy. Same as Liverpool and they’re receiving more in fees and saving roughly the same in wages. That’s if the Fabinho deal goes through.Yeah, i was thinking more around number of players/deadwood signed but you're spot on.
Hopefully we can shift more deadwood their way. Just getting rid of Telles and Bailly has arguably benefitted us the most of any clubs(i jest!).
How expensive are Telles and Bailly’s contracts anyway?
Come on.
Look at the players there now who could get into a good team.
A Saudi league x1 could probably challenge for top 4. Chinese league never had that.
China wasn't simultaneously building a dominant presence in football's governing bodies, or investing billions into buying and building up top clubs in Europe. I guess the point I'm raising is with the accelerating power of Gulf and Gulf state money in football, where is that heading, and specifically what does it mean for European football? There's no question that what we're seeing in this transfer window is something new, and it already goes well beyond picking up big-name deadwood. Just because it's not yet at the level where lots of prime years elite players are moving, the direction of travel is clear - and serious pitches are also being made for the likes of Son, for example. So this is really the point at which this becomes an issue worth discussing in my opinion.
Not the most expensive but still both were on/around 100k per week. I guess it was way costlier from the clubs perspective if you factor in that they've barely been used for circa 2 years and we've still been paying their wages or a large portion of it. Factor in no one in Europe seemed interested in either....
Kante? Or was his contract up when he joined? But yeah, i should retract that statement of mine as it was clearly hyperbole/incorrect.
Like I said in my post, there are only so many players for whom the insane sums of money will be worth their prime years. Even if there are a few outliers, the only time I think that it will become a serious problem is if they can somehow get into the CL. At that point then we do have a real problem.
Have the people claiming that Saudi teams will be allowed in UEFA/Champions League actually realised that four teams in the league are owned by PIF?
UEFA would never allow that in their competitions, along with FFP being a huge issue.
It's a non starter and won't happen in the current circumstances.
UEFA would never allow that in their competitions, along with FFP being a huge issue.
It's a non starter and won't happen in the current circumstances.
I agree it's very different from China, it's easier to settle in for a European for start and China's experiment was effectively throttled by Covid. But apart from Neves and Mitrovic, I don't see many PL players leaving weakening their teams, quite the opposite really.
Could argue that it's strengthening the PL with them paying over the odds to sign players
At the moment this is just a fad like China, Rusia etc - remains to be seen if it's a long term trend
At the moment this is just a fad like China, Rusia etc - remains to be seen if it's a long term trend
Little prediction I'll make with the way football is going...
Saudi will have teams in the champions league (or whatever branding it has at that time) in the next 20-30 years.
Saudi will have teams in the champions league (or whatever branding it has at that time) in the next 20-30 years.
I think there's a real risk. People were so complacent about City's takeover and 15 years later they've basically ripped the heart and soul out of english football and somehow made a treble seem fairly simple to accomplish. If Saudi can somehow sustain it's wages then players will keep having their heads turned.
If they're serious they're gonna have to move the league away from Saudi Arabia, otherwise it's a non-starter.
Doubt it
This. It's good for football overall I feel.
I can see them really competing with the likes of us for highly rated Muslim players. A player like Amad for instance could start drawing their attention if he really kicks on.
No, it’s purely a financial decision when players go there and probably some lifestyle too. Why not go get paid double/triple your money and live in an incredible villa out in the Middle East while doing it. It’s pure luxury. Plus you still get to play football. Win win.
Brozovic and Milinkovic-Savic are probably two that I would say are similar in quality right now, but it’s not just that, the names that have gone to Saudi have surpassed anything close to what China did. A five time Ballon Dor winner, Benzema…China had nothing close to this regardless of age. One of the marquee signings for China was Ighalo ffs.
I said years ago the Club World Cup will grow in stature and significance in the modern game, particularly true now with the emergence of Saudi league. The Saudi league could become the NBA of club football. It could be the first league where all the best players play in. It's not like China and Russia, the Saudi's will not put restrictions on their clubs. I couldn't name a team there but now I know 3-4 teams.
Kante?
It would most likely be resurrected Super League format with possible participation from all over the world.
It’s surprising how many think it’s not a worry.
The reason the premier league is so interesting and viewed by millions around the world is due to its competitiveness. Anyone can beat anyone and it happens regularly.
However, if Saudi start sweeping up players from the lower teams (below the top 6), it naturally makes the league less competitive and over time less interesting. The more transfers that happen like Ruben Neves, potentially Zaha and Mitrovic, the less competitive the league becomes. These are key star players for the lower teams.
If Saudi continues to sweep up the talent just below the top, it’s not great for the premier league. Once you have enough quality in their league to make it competitive and interesting, the bigger players will start to follow.
When the likes of City and to some extent Chelsea got the oil money, many said big players wouldn’t go to those clubs. But as we know, eventually money talks in the end with most players.
The reason the premier league is so interesting and viewed by millions around the world is due to its competitiveness. Anyone can beat anyone and it happens regularly.
However, if Saudi start sweeping up players from the lower teams (below the top 6), it naturally makes the league less competitive and over time less interesting. The more transfers that happen like Ruben Neves, potentially Zaha and Mitrovic, the less competitive the league becomes. These are key star players for the lower teams.
If Saudi continues to sweep up the talent just below the top, it’s not great for the premier league. Once you have enough quality in their league to make it competitive and interesting, the bigger players will start to follow.
When the likes of City and to some extent Chelsea got the oil money, many said big players wouldn’t go to those clubs. But as we know, eventually money talks in the end with most players.
Some of the bottom half of the EPL will find it difficult to keep hold of their players now. Players will not pass up the opportunity of a massive pay day in Saudi
There were a series of events that led to the super leagues eventual downfall. Not least the debt involved with the transfers and wages compounded by the pandemic hitting. Eventually the Chinese government had to clamp down on it. In this instance it’s the Saudi government that are giving their full backing behind it with seemingly bottomless pot of cash to drive it.
This is an overlooked point, Saudi is still seen as a beacon across the Muslim world and while its football infrastructure (physical and institutional) isn't there to compete with top European leagues in youth player development and scouting, Saudi could be well positioned to tap up promising talents from the Middle East and Africa, before European teams stand a chance.
The uncertain prospects and high-competitiveness of European leagues may be deemed not worth it in the perspective of very young players, compared to the anticipation of a huge salary and a move to a country where you get to live your best Muslim life.
Exactly. If you take the best 2 players from every team in the bottom half of the table, they’d most likely take a huge pay day than regularly play in the premier league with no real hope of winning anything other than avoiding relegation.
Forgot about Benzema to be fair - and yeah point taken. This definitely feels more significant for sure - just wonder whether it will last.
I left him out because of his age and probably dip in overall quality now, although I haven’t watched him properly for ages.
I think it’s a real miscalculation to assume that these players aren’t relevant because they’re older. They may only be going for a pay day, but it’s huge for the reputation of the league.
Brozovic just started the Champions League final and would start for almost all Premier League clubs. No chance he goes without the opportunity to play with Ronaldo.
Zero chance.
It's too far away, and the politics of taking such a long flight for no good reason in 2045 or w/e aren't going to be good.
UEFA will do whatever’s needed to keep their power.It started off as a retirement home for ex superstars but is now quickly becoming an alternative to the major leagues for any useful players and managers. They are now targeting the likes of Mitrovic and Marco Silva from Fulham who the club prefer to keep. In my opinion if the funding continues it could cause big problems in the future with inflated transfer fees and wages.
Just imagine the rumours of the Saudi's targeting Mbappe to be true and successful. What message would that send out to other top players?
Just imagine the rumours of the Saudi's targeting Mbappe to be true and successful. What message would that send out to other top players?
Agreed, something will happen to include them.
To this, and several other posters suggesting the danger line and ultimate aim is access to the Champions League, or even membership of UEFA.
Why, necessarily? These are the big things in football right now, but that can change. I don't think it makes much sense for them to think that way. More plausibly, they are aiming to build a top global product domestically - which would contribute to the general life quality and also prestige of their country in a more direct way than being allowed to participate in European competitions. If they build a league on par with good European leagues in quality and big name visibility, why would they need that? They'll be watched and followed throughout the region, and maybe in Africa and the rest of Asia too.
We no longer live in a world where you're only as relevant as people in our part of the world think you are. Global prestige isn't defined in London or Paris anymore - why shouldn't Saudi investors be thinking about their domestic and regional prestige instead? They can afford to build their own product without giving a hoot about what you, I or anyone else in Europe thinks about that. Which is fine as such, but I'd quite like that to not happen at the expense of a European system that is no longer in a strong position to take care of its own interests - among other things because of the strength of Gulf money within European club football and its governing bodies. So, maybe we need to start thinking about this not in terms of them buying into our system because they think it gives them prestige to be associated with our brand, but rather as the strategic acquisition of assets with a view to facilitate the building of something of their own?
Last edited:
Way sooner than that. I expect a CL final in Riyadh within the next decade and their clubs entering CL within similar timeframe. It's not a project that will take years to take off, they will make it count almost immediately, with CL finals, 2034 World Cup etc.
Do not think for one moment that this is not a full frontal move by the Saudi's as they did with golf. They will get control that is not in doubt. It not a case of if, but when. They will just keep throwing money at it until they have control. If you think for one moment that these officials can't be bought, you are naive to say the least.
Yup. A year ago, most serious European football fans would have been hard pressed to name a single team or a single player in the Saudi league. Now, there's two of the biggest global names and host of other household names. What will it be in 2 years, or 5? Ultimately European club football is number one because that's where nearly all the best players are. Change that, and it's no longer the case. It doesn't have to take 3 decades and the painstaking building of recruitment systems and academies.
With respect to the OP they are filing their squads up with players on last legs and absolute guff that are willing to chase that big final pay check.
I said in another thread they are restricted to 8 foreigners per squad. That’s about 160 all in. About 20 are already gone to deadwood players.
until they buy and retain top drawer talent it’s nothing more than a retirement league
I said in another thread they are restricted to 8 foreigners per squad. That’s about 160 all in. About 20 are already gone to deadwood players.
until they buy and retain top drawer talent it’s nothing more than a retirement league
How is it in any way sustainable? Seems like a short-term thing - they can’t plough billions in every year with zero returns.
Is the Saudi League a bigger threat to the PL and other top European leagues than China, MLS, were? Absolutely. They’ve clearly shown their willingness to spend big on transfers, outdoing anything those other ‘disrupter’ leagues have ever done in just a couple of seasons.
But should the PL be worried? I still don’t think so. If top, up-and -coming players and established stars in their prime start choosing Saudi Arabia, then yeah maybe, but I can’t see that happening anytime soon.
I’m far more concerned about the impact of Arab oil money on the PL itself, ie Man City, Newcastle, and potentially us.
But should the PL be worried? I still don’t think so. If top, up-and -coming players and established stars in their prime start choosing Saudi Arabia, then yeah maybe, but I can’t see that happening anytime soon.
I’m far more concerned about the impact of Arab oil money on the PL itself, ie Man City, Newcastle, and potentially us.