It all started with Cristiano signing for Al Nassr last year. Karim Benzema, the Real Madrid striker and one of the best on the planet currently, decided to move to Al-Ittihad. He is joined by N’Golo Kante who had injuries last season but is still a very decent player on the field.
Ruben Neves from Wolves had interest from different Premier League teams. Not long ago, every other Arsenal fan wanted Mikel to bring him to Emirates, he is such a decent midfielder that he will start in any of the PL team’s midfield bar City. He has moved to Al-Hilal, at the age of 26 for a 3 year contract, and Wolves are getting £47m for him. Chelsea has shifted Hakim Ziyech and Edouard Mendy is expected to leave too. There are rumours of Koulibaly, Mahrez, Aubameyang, Neymar and a bunch of others.
Is it any difference to Chinese Super League or MLS? In short, yes.
China turned out to be a retirement home, so did MLS (and even now, they are). Players who had spent their best days, were moving to MLS and CSL, to earn a big fat check. Kind of a ‘grab whatever you can coz it’s going to be over soon’ round. But what Saudi League has managed differently is that, they have attracted some of the best and in-their-prime players. Though, Ronaldo had a bad season by his standards at Old Trafford, he could have literally walked into any of the teams he wanted. Benzema is still a hot entity in world football. Heck, I would have loved Neves at Arsenal for that amount of money.
Mendy is a Champions League winner. Riyad Mahrez, Bernando Silva, Gundogan, who all just won a trebble at City, are all being linked to different Saudi teams. We even have rumours for one of our own, Thomas Partey. Much like others, Partey is still in his prime and had a brilliant season with us. He still has couple of good years left in him.
What Saudi League has done, is, attract the attractive ones (money helps) and build from there. Any other league like Indian Soccer League are low on budget, they can’t pay millions and though the playing condition is a bit of hostile, it’s not as much as Saudi Arabia here. It’s the bottom up approach for Indian Football. It’s the top down for Saudis. Hear me out, Ngolo Kante is rumoured to have a net worth of 23m euros after playing in one of the richest league, in one of the richest clubs in Chelsea and winning almost everything. He will earn whooping 100m euros in his 4 year contract at the Saudi club. 4 times his net worth!
Is it going to last?
I don’t know. Unlike China and US, they have money and they can keep doing it forever. The lot that’s reaching Saudi this year (and the next year) will decide how famous they get, and how much impact it will have on European Football. English football in particular is rooted enough, and might not have impact in terms of revenue and popularity locally, but there’s a bigger market share outside and Saudi league will compete with it. Some of the neutral fans are invested in players (Ronaldo, Messi e.g.) rather than the club they play for.
What can the English club do?
Nothing, they have opened the pandora box. From an owner, who spent half a billion in one season, and now wants to shift some players and recoup some of that money, has a buyer outside Europe. Players, who were sitting on bench, being paid a whooping 100k/week wages will earn 10x of that. It’s a win-win for the club and the players as of now. It won’t be long before the players whom the club wants to keep, will ask for a transfer for that 10x money. It won’t be long before it further inflates the market because you have to pay substantially more to keep your prized possession from moving to Saudi (and MLS has opened the gate too with Messi and Image/TV rights).
In my honest opinion, it’s worse that the European Super League. Either it will ruin the financials all over, or it will force clubs to go back to grassroot level of developing footballer and instilling in them the club identity over money.
Only positive? For every Neves, there’s a Lukaku.
You are welcome to disagree with what I feel, because I haven’t seen anything like this. I don’t know how it will turn out. I would be more interested in your opinion about why/why not it’s a good thing for football in general and English Premier League in particular.
From the LG Poster MidwestGun which made me laugh to no end but perhaps has some truth to it.
.
“Yep, money talks. Although, going to Saudi … is still the black hole of who gives a shit. Your career is basically over. Nobody cares who beats who and who wins. Al-Hilal v Al-Ittihad v Al-Shabab v Al Batin.. v Al Roker.
.
OK I made that last one up, (he is an American weather presenter currently the weather anchor on NBC’s Today). The SPL will die a similar death of boredom at some point when the billionaire backers realize nobody cares anymore and Clubs will fold if they can’t keep 20 Clubs competitive enough to have a League. Especially when there is no built in large market local fanbases.”
.
Perhaps building up the SPL is in anticipation of getting the 2030 WC and giving the Saudis some credibility. It will produce a similar push back that Qatar got. But the corrupt officials at FIFA will make sure that their palms will be greased.
.
Regards the EPL. Their massive money income is from the TV deals and the Athletic reports that for the first time the overseas TV right £5.05billion has surpassed the UK rights £5billion. Clearly that is where the money is being made.
.
However, we all experienced during the pandemic, football matches without fans are not really football matches, it was abysmal to watch and there was no longer a home versus away advantage. So if you don’t have sold out venues you got problems, especially if you need to change the mind of a referee.
Interesting article in the Athletic “Mendes sorting Ruben Neves’ shock Al Hilal move means there will be a longer-term plan”. A quick quote:
.
“Neves deal doesn’t just have the fingerprints of agent Jorge Mendes all over it, it has his DNA, his internet search history and a screengrab of him from CCTV.
.
Mendes’ clients also include Ronaldo and Nuno, who has just won the Saudi with Al Ittihad (the club Benzema and Kante have joined). He is making moves in an expanding, extremely wealthy league and we can say with certainty that Neves will not be the last client he takes there.”
.
So you have now agents involved in moving their clients there in their prime for perhaps 1 or 2 years and then have them returning to Europe once certain clubs have their finances sorted. It has always been about the most money for the players and the agents, end of story.
Ambarish-good on you for venturing into new territory…so long as players, still within their respective primes, elect to go where the football most matters instead of opting for a substantially larger bag, they will never dramatically disrupt the current Euro-centric footballing landscape
now things could get a bit dicey if they can somehow find a way to enter the Champions League equation…it might seem far-fetched but never say never when it involves literal truck loads of cash…maybe they’ll steal a page from their LIV model, which has already started on the recruitment side, then hope that if enough players of consequence enter the fray that they will strike fear into the hearts of those within the UEFA hierarchy…I’ve already witnessed the odd highlights/lowlights on the tele in my neck of the world since CR signed on, which didn’t happen when China tried a very similar recruitment model
maybe they’ll even organize a similar, off-season at first, tournament with astronomical cash prizes and invite only the best and brightest from across Europe and beyond…now not everyone will accept the invitation, but there will be those who will be enticed by the monies involved…once a couple dominoes fall, others will invariably follow…the money alone will increase the intensity and the Saudi’s will spare no expense to cater to the players/teams involved so as to further minimize any potential hesitancies
after a few years they will have established a sizeable following across the globe, so much so that the usual suspects will engage in bidding wars for the viewing rights…that’s when they will twist the proverbial knife and threaten UEFA with the notion that they’re considering pushing for an in-season tournament, which will pay the teams involved a king’s ransom for their continued commitment…at which point UEFA could choose to adopt a more PGA-like “if you can’t beat them join them” model…so instead of going head-to-head they will offer them a handful of qualifier spots or maybe they’ll just give them the ones they took away from Russia…you just never know
Killroy-interesting agent take on the Saudi situation…the money-hungry side piece in the footballing equation is undoubtedly the most corruptible entity, which makes them so dangerous in the grand scheme of things
Most of the players have probably no idea what life in Saudi Arabia will be like, I pity the wives and daughters as they are 2nd class citizens there and it will stifle their growth. If the husbands just go there by themselves then the children will basically be raised in a one parent family for they will have little time. For the sake of excess money you may ruin your family.
.
The money grabbing is exemplified by the Club World Cup to be held in 2025 in the USA which again gives no concern for players welfare and health in a fake competition for the sake of more money in FIFA’s coffers. This sport is turning me more and more off.
Ambarish, it’s not easy to report without bias on the middle eastern ideals of joining the western world, be it through sport or agenda setting oil production. Golf and football will never have the same appeal globally because people have consciences and most are guided by them whether through religion or simple belief in karma; therefore, Saudi money in the long run will only buy them stars and muslim fans.
.
If the Saudi’s dreams of their top footballing super league, they are welcome to it. I’ll go and watch grass roots and other levels of football not having anything remotely to do with with people who condemn human rights as part of their culture.
.
There’s that, family and music and other interests for junior & me.
.
Why is the PL the best league in the world? Is it the pace or physicality? Is the the number of stars playing here? I believe that is a part of what makes the PL the most revered football league globally, but the real reason is: HISTORY! This is where the game started and was adopted by the working class and toffs with Eaton being an early club if the TV series is to be believed.
.
Football is what got many Europeans through both world wars; rival tribalism would melt into comradeship against Germany or other foes. In England the working class ruled football on the terraces replete in cloth caps fresh from a week down the mines and in the factories. In short, football became a British institution.
.
This is what British football was to the masses that’s been passed down, and watered down some might say today, but the roots are still intact. With the same way as the super league stirred football’s heritage in uniting fans against losing their history and their choice more importantly.
.
The Saudis want to create a game that the world admires and follows; however, the rest of the world want the Saudis to change their cultural laws in favour of peoples’ human rights and it’s there that never the twain shall meet, and middle eastern football will be just that.
The world super league is inevitable but it won’t be run by the Saudis and their money too many American owners in the sport for that to happen.
However, looking at it another way middle eastern countries are buying our PL clubs, so what’s to stop all the PL clubs being owned by the middle east in the future?
.
Then what happens?
Killroy-the one silver lining might be that Leagues across Europe might need to do a much better job listening and catering to the concerns of their respective fanbases, especially those who’ve relied too heavily on fair-weather fans or the more casual observers of the sport…for far too long, in their quest to reach previously untapped fans, Leagues/teams have oft-times ignored their bread and butter fans, so maybe this will have a positive impact on that particular short-sighted practice…I wouldn’t hold my breath though
Tony
You switch to another sport. Because of the pandemic I have started to watch Rugby matches. Got access to a P2P tracker “Across The Tasman” where you can request Rugby matches from years ago and I started to watch the Lions Tours 2017, The WC 2015, 2019 and other Southern and Northern Hemisphere tests and fell in love with it. I still only know about 30% of the rules but it is super exciting.
.
Here is why I mentioned it. The equivalent of the EPL in Rugby is the Top 14 league in France where all the best players in the world play. A massive TV contract, sold out venues and a history to go with it. The matches on TV are with the French language and then you have networks that broadcast with the English language. I will still watch Arsenal’s games and a few other important matches but my interest is waning.
.
I am seriously looking into a decent provider in the US for the Top 14 as the one that has it now is shit, the other tournaments I have covered. WC 2023 in France to be stellar, 6 Nations every year, Premiership, URC and Southern Hemisphere tournaments. The stadium atmospheres where you are moving to is absolutely fantastic and there are teams that are really good as I mentioned to you in the past.
Killroy
As you know I do like rugby union at international level. When I was in the UK the game was still amateur then semi pro, so I only played until my 30s when time permitted.
.
When we finally get to France, I’ll look into then rugby near where we buy or build. Always enjoy the 6-nations and SH tournaments. Life will be busy enough. 🙂
How about a little taste of pre match activity. The Haka for the 2011 Rugby WC Final between the All Blacks and France it has had 73M views on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiKFYTFJ_kw&ab_channel=WorldRugby
.
The Haka is so great that the french instinctively make a Maginot line
Ambarish
I’m really enjoying reading and thinking about the output that you’re producing right now. To be honest, I’ve always found your views on football fascinating given the way you’ve come to Arsenal and the Gooner family via your time in London. And the quality of the debate on here continues to grow under your guardianship.
If I were your business adviser, and given what you have just written about that awful but amazingly wealthy country situated between India and the UK, I’d recommend that you take a foray into blogging/reporting about the Saudi League. You have a blank page so can chose your own angle. You might have to compromise the principles of truth and directness that you so regularly display on here but if you were to get into sports reporting and commentary there in some form, I’m certain your talents will be appreciated, not least because I’m certain they’ll want to have a major presence throughout Asia and Europe. Now, that’ll really put your work-life balance under pressure. You could maybe recruit some extra help. In essence, it could become a significant expansion opportunity. If you can’t beat them, join them! I’d be happy to discuss it more with you if you wanted to develop an idea.
But one important caveat – it cannot be at the expense of LiR my friend! 😊
Some of the stuff on here has been really perceptive. Like Tony, I’ll be going even more local if some monolithic world super league gathers pace. Watching Neville and Carragher live from Riyadh or Jeddah at 10am UK time watching Walmart Arsenal Wanderers lose to Aramco Geordie Barcodes with a late goal from 78 year old hologram Cristiano Ronaldo in 50 degree heat will never be my idea of fun. I’ll stick to the Bluebirds of Cardiff and Haverfordwest County. 🐦🐦
Seriously Ambarish give it some thought. I hate that cliché Carpe Diem (why seize a Carp?) but this could be a moment.
Killroy
When that rugby world Cup comes around in the autumn, you should look to do a bit of blogging on here as well. I don’t follow 🏉anywhere near as closely as you do but it’s interesting reading your takes.
Tony, of Saudi money only get them stars and Muslim fans, that’s still a pretty decent fan base.
In the main, much like Qatar again, the people taking issue with the Saudi regime’s morals vs their right to own football are are us in the West. Many people outside are content to have our gatekeeping of what defines authentic football culture disrupted.
Aramco Gunners vs Petrochem Marwhan Rovers holds no interest for me either but the global minority aren’t the target market apart from what they add to branding.
You can’t confuse the Saudi’s involvement with Golf (or something like Tennis for example or even the World Cup) with league football.
Golf has a tournament over a brief period of time a football league runs over 9 months.
Find me a kid who dreams of winning the Saudi Cash Cup? Find me a kid from around the who dreams of winning the FA Cup, PL, La Liga, Serie A or the CL – Millions.
Not to get into real world politics too deeply but I’m sure we all hope with what’s happening in Russia someone steps up and wins themselves the Nobel Peace Prize by putting a bullet in the back of Putin’s head.
Aitcho
It never occurred to me when writing how vast the muslim market would be.
Raptora from LG said that TL, VV, RG and Edu met to discuss how to proceed with another bid. If the meeting was anything like the meeting about what to do with Auba in ‘all or nothing’, then I’ll be surprised if we land Rice unless he demands a move to us.
Why are they meeting to reach reactive decisions? Have those people never heard of proactive negotiating with plans A, B & C if necessary?
Our business clients are industrial Thai billionaires, if we were just reactive in our meetings, we’d be laughed out their boardrooms.
We, as a club, maybe worth billions of dollars, but we are still in the dark ages when it comes to TWs. We are Del boy and Rodders still using bargain basement buying tactics compared to Bobby Axlerod and Mike Wagner of clubs who mean business and always spanks Edu’s arse making us pay way over the odds: White being the first overpriced buy who is worth a little less than what we paid for him in July 30, 2021.
A&E’s dealings in the TWs have netted us losses where we’ve even had to pay players to go all on A&E. Have the club learned nothing from their actions for the past 4 years?
Not really, not from this window’s results thus far.
From ‘G’ on LG:
‘’ ExWHUEmployee
Patreon: “We can confirm that Man City held talks with West Ham over the sale of Declan Rice but did not lodge an official bid. It was made very clear that Declan Rice really favours a move to Arsenal over the two. The main factor is Arteta.” #afc‘’
Tony
I’d be amazed if Rice’s choice of between City and Arsenal was based on wanting to play for Arteta. Staying in London etc would make more sense.
Tony
The thing that many can’t do in face to face negotiations is know when to walk away or refuse the deal.
Do this a couple of times and people know you’re are serious.
Seems, if true, Arteta is the procrastinator as he is with his in-game management. If he can’t make pressure decisions, why involve him?
Almunia
Seems those defaming me on LG are really deep butt hurt, but they are Pedro’s bending brown noses. Poor cupcakes. 🙂
Have a great weekend.
KP
If I got my dates right, the KP fam are viva Espana so enjoy the trip(s).