Saudi Arabia and Qatar have been making headlines with their investments in European football. The players, most of whom are past their prime, are lapping up these offers for the big bucks
Manchester United might reportedly have a new owner: Qatar’s Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani.As per reports, Al-Ahli has submitted an official contract bid to Riyad Mahrez and negotiations are underway on player side. Similarly, footballer Romelu Lukaku has received a formal offer from Saudi Arabia’s football club Al-Hilal for a two-season contract worth €50 million.Two star footballers—Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema—are expected to play for the Saudi Pro League in the upcoming season post their transfers.These are some big updates in the world of football. Clearly, Saudi Arabia and Qatar have been in the limelight since the beginning of this transfer season. How are these trends likely to affect Premier League football clubs, the players and most importantly, the sport. Forbes India explains:Cristiano Ronaldo has been paving the way for high-profile footballers to play in the Middle East after he signed a deal with Al-Nassr until 2025 in December. According to AFP, he is set to receive the biggest salary in the history of the game: £177 million ($215 million) per year. In June, French football player Karim Benzema left Real Madrid and signed a three-year contract with football club Al-Ittihad. He is expected to earn a huge salary of €200 million per season. Chelsea's N'Golo Kante has reportedly completed his medical and is all set to sign a two-year contract for €100 million per season with Al-Ittihad. The European club football season is almost over, and teams are looking to make changes to their squads. But as this transfer season begins, Middle Eastern countries, particularly Saudi Arabia, seem to be all geared up to make offers to bag star players. Lukaku has received an offer from Al-Hilal, for a two-season contract worth €50 million. Al-Hilal is also reportedly interested in signing Neymar Jr, as he plans to move from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). Chelsea’s Hakim Ziyech and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang; Manchester City’s Riyad Mahrez and Barcelona’s Sergio Busquets are among the players clubs in Saudi Arabia are eyeing. Even Lionel Messi was being pursued by Al-Hilal. But eventually, the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner decided to join David Beckham’s US club Inter Miami, once his contact with PSG ends.Why are players considering these offers? Simply put, the money. Saudi Pro League clubs have no restrictions when it comes to spending. This means clubs can lure players with much higher salaries. “A lot of the players—be it Ronaldo or Benzema—are almost past their prime. So, for most of them, it’s about getting that one last paycheck. They’ve had almost a two-decade-long career in European football and now they are moving elsewhere. This was also the case in the 90s, when we saw Gary Lineker move to Japan’s Nagoya Grampus to popularise the J League,” explains Ayon Sengupta, editor, Sportstar. He adds, "Traditional clubs are struggling to stay relevant in the transfer market, which has seen a manifold rise because of the money spent by clubs backed by arms of nation states like PSG (Qatar), Manchester City (Abu Dhabi). Probably that pushed clubs to fall for the allure of the European Super league."Keeping all the glamour and money aside, leading players' union FIFPro—which represents 65,000 footballers across the world—has recently apprised players to not sign up with the Saudi Pro League. Reason? As per reports, the ongoing problems regarding unpaid wages and lack of union protection.Also read: Football: Technology, rules, tactics, migration and human agency of the Beautiful Game