The traditional powers of European soccer are looking over their shoulders, no not because a team in their local league is catching up, but because the Saudi Pro League and Major League Soccer is on their backs when it comes to signing talent.
Each league has had a different approach, MLS is more about paying value for talents they can later sell later like Thiago Almada or Alan Velasco while the Saudi Pro League is plucking away some of the best talents playing in Europe presently like Neymar, Sadio Mane, and even young star talents like Spain’s Gabri Veiga.
In a press conference ahead of Spain’s UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying Group A match against Georgia, Manchester City’s defensive midfielder Rodri spoke about warning European soccer of this new change in the sporting landscape.
Rodri on Saudi Arabia
“European football is losing in this situation, and this is completely understandable given the amount of money (Saudi Arabia) provides. We will have to control the talent drain that is occurring, as we are already seeing young players going to Saudi Arabia” Rodri stated.
Fabinho, Franck Kessie, Ruben Neves, Sadio Mane, N’Golo Kante, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kalidou Koulibaly, Karim Benzema, and Neymar are just some of the top players that have joined the Saudi Pro League in the last year.
The Saudi Pro League is not stopping there, the league has high ambitions as offers have been tabled for players of the caliber of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, and Mohamed Salah.
