How the Saudi Pro League could SAVE Arsenal and Chelsea

Tom Weber

• Updated: 12 Jun 2023 12:01 BST
• 3 min read

Saudi investment in the domestic Pro League could prove beneficial to European clubs.

Mohammed Bin Salman's new policy of pumping money into Saudi sport, particularly football, could have unexpected knock-on effects in Europe. The new investment in the Pro League's big four - champions Al-Ittihad, Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr and Al-Ahli - and some provincial clubs will lure more big-name stars to the domestic Saudi league.

Many will rightfully call this sportswashing given the kingdom's notoriously spotty human rights record and other ongoing issues in the country, yet big European football clubs - who have never had any moral qualms about doing business with Saudi Arabia in the first place - could reap the benefits of this new approach.

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Indeed, as the Athletic writes, European sides are enticed by the prospect of using the Pro League as a dumping ground for unwanted or overly expensive players. With many of the continent's top sides butting against Financial Fair Play regulations, Mohammed Bin Salman's country can easily offer the money required to take high-profile names off of European payrolls - which would, in turn, also alleviate the clubs' economic issues.

Benzema, Kante...Neymar?

The Athletic mentions Arsenal's record signing Nicolas Pepe as an example of a prime candidate who may get shipped off to Saudi Arabia in order to get his huge contract off the books. Chelsea also has several players who could fit the bill like Kalidou Koulibaly and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. But you don't even need hypotheticals when there are already concrete instances of negotiations; just look at Neymar.

Paris Saint-Germain are open to selling him, but no European club can actually afford him. Saudi clubs, on the other hand, can and they have been trying to strike a deal for some time. Initial talks reportedly broke down because of Neymar's relationship with Qatar, but rumours linking the Brazilian to the Pro League have once again flared up in recent days.

READ: Saudis target Neymar after Messi failure

Ageing players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema have already made the move to the Middle East, while Chelsea's N'Golo Kante should soon follow suit. In time, we may even see more peak-age players transfer to Saudi Arabia.