Saudi Arabia are ready to spread their net wide again to poach high-profile footballers from Europe to Saudi Arabia this summer, LCSoccerHub Reports.
According to Ben Davies, clubs in Saudi Arabia have sunk in a combined sum of £2billion to sign high-profile stars from Europe.
The whooping transfer funds pool is reportedly aimed at top footballers across Europe as the oil-rich state continue their attempt to lure European footballers to the Saudi Pro League with money-spinning offers.
Ben Jacob adds three top Premier League players – Mohamed Salah, Son Heung-Min, Kevin De Bruyne – are among the high-profile targets by Saudi clubs this summer
Recall Saudi Pro League champions A-Ittihad made a late transfer swoop for Mohamed Salah last summer, offering as much as £150m to Liverpool for the player. The move for Salah was understood to be part of the Saudi’s lofty plan to find a successor for Cristiano Ronaldo, who has been at the heart of the rapid growth of Saudi football since his groundbreaking switch to Al-Nassr in 2022.
Saudi football bosses wanted to make Salah the new face of the game in the Gulf State as they continue in their attempt to modernize the game and bring it to the global audience. Al-Ittihad were ready to offer the Egyptian forward the most lucrative contract with additional pecks and incentives that would have made him the highest-paid footballer in the world.
However, they met an outright rejection by Liverpool, who were not ready to lose Salah. This summer, the Reds will be in again for another struggle to keep Salah as Saudi clubs prepare to vie for the services of the former Chelsea star again.
Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne is also another top shot for Saudi clubs. De Bruyne, who has enjoyed a successful career stint with Manchester City, has one-and-a-half-year left on his deal. Regarded as the engine room of City’s long-running domestic dominance and the subsequent European triumph in 2023, Saudi clubs are not likely to win City’s hand in signing the player. The Belgian playmaker is reportedly set to sign a new contract with City to extend his stay with the club till 2026.
Son Heung-Min is also a prime target for Saudi Arabia. The South Korean attacking midfielder, who was recently promoted to Spurs captain following the departure of Harry Kane, is considered key to Ange Postecoglou’s revamped squad. Spurs are interested in keeping Son, whose contract will expire in 2025. But it is yet to be determined whether a money-spinning offer could sway the London club to have a change of heart.
