Premier League star in Ronaldo dig as he REJECTS Saudi Arabia

Tom Hancock

• 20 Jun 2023 21:48 BST
• 3 min read

Son Heung-min has appeared to take aim at Cristiano Ronaldo in playing down links with a move to the Saudi Pro League, claiming that “money doesn’t matter” to him.

The Tottenham and South Korea forward is said to be a target for Al-Ittihad – who beat Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr to the title this season just gone and have already secured the signing of Karim Benzema from Real Madrid.

But Son has made it quite clear that he is in no mood to swap the English top flight for the Middle East.

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Responding to rumours of a move to Saudi Arabia, the 30-year-old said: “I have many things to do in the Premier League. Money doesn’t matter to me now, and the pride of playing football, to play in my favourite league is important.”

Son’s comments seem like a criticism of the Saudi Pro League’s enormous spending power: Ronaldo’s two-year contract with Al-Nassr – which he signed in January, having left Manchester United by mutual consent last November – is said to be worth more than €200m per year, for example.

Another of the division’s biggest clubs, Al-Hilal, recently tried and failed to sign Lionel Messi – but countless more big names could be lured by the Gulf state’s riches this summer.

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Saudi clubs shop for stars

Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) – which owns Newcastle United – recently bought majority stakes in Al-Ittihad, Al-Nassr, Al-Hilal and Al-Ahli – the four top clubs in the country.

And already set to join the likes of Ronaldo and Benzema next season are N’Golo Kante – who will team up with Benzema, his France colleague, at Al-Ittihad after his Chelsea contract expires, and Ruben Neves, is poised to leave Wolves for Al-Hilal.

As for Son, he has two years remaining on his Spurs deal – having penned a new contract in the summer of 2021.