Saudi Pro League ‘working on signing’ MAJOR Premier League star

Robin Bairner

• Updated: 21 Jun 2023 12:20 BST
• 4 min read

The Saudi Pro League has stepped up its assault on world football in recent days, with the signature of several major stars either completed or close to being done.

Following Cristiano Ronaldo’s move to Al-Nassr in December, clubs from the Pro League have captured world stars Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kante on free transfers, while a trio of Chelsea players are expected to move to the Gulf state imminently according to transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano.

While Saudi Arabia’s relationship with Chelsea has come under the microscope of late, Liverpool are now being threatened by the loss of a major star to the Pro League, with an official claiming that they are working on a transfer deal that would see Mohamed Salah sign.

MORE: Romano reveals THREE Chelsea players heading for Saudi Pro League

Hafez Al-Medlej, who has had a string of high-ranking positions in both the Asian Football Confederation and Saudi Pro League, claims that there are plans afoot to attract Salah to Saudi.

“We must also start working on the signing of Mohamed Salah since he is overwhelmingly popular in the Arab world and in Europe. I think Salah still has records to break with Liverpool, so I hope that if he doesn’t come now he will in the future,” he said.

MORE: Cristiano Ronaldo’s newest STAR teammate announced by Romano

A warning for European football

This warning shot is not just at Liverpool, but to the established footballing hierarchy in Europe.

“All transferable footballers will from now on be targeted by Saudi clubs,” he told Koura via AS.

“We do not hire players who are already finished. Al Hilal are going to sign Ruben Neves, who is 26 years old and who Barcelona wanted. And Benzema has already arrived at Al Ittihad after being crowned the Ballon d'Or with Real Madrid, who are faced with the dilemma of replacing him.

“The European Champions League is the jewel in the crown of all European championships, and this tournament is based on two elements. The first is the clubs, which are gigantic entities, and the second is the players.

“The departure of the big stars from Europe will be a hard blow for the Champions League and the tournament will lose much of its brilliance. We have an example in La Liga. They lost a lot with the transfer of Ronaldo to Juventus. And then they lost more when Messi went to Paris Saint-Germain.

“The departure of the stars from Europe will affect sponsorship and television contracts. Messi is the best footballer at the moment and his incorporation would have provided great value. But we are not going to compensate him with a substitute player. Let’s hope that Bernardo Silva, from Manchester City, arrives.”

Salah, meanwhile, is under contract at Liverpool until 2025.