Anybody bothered about the Saudis hoovering up Prem players?
Discussion
48k said:
And aside from the players, also consider that the elite european clubs are looking for the slightest excuse to form a super league. Look how the Saudis disrupted golf and effectively backed the PGA in to a "merge or die" corner. Liv Superleague could become a real thing in the not too distant future and Uefa will have a challenge on their hands.
But it's completely different. The LIV golf calendar was still dominated by Western events. It didn't suddenly become a Saudi-based league.If the Saudi's buy sufficient rights to force a Champions League rival with more global clubs then that's one thing, but it doesn't mean Saudi Football will be considered any better!
Evanivitch said:
48k said:
And aside from the players, also consider that the elite european clubs are looking for the slightest excuse to form a super league. Look how the Saudis disrupted golf and effectively backed the PGA in to a "merge or die" corner. Liv Superleague could become a real thing in the not too distant future and Uefa will have a challenge on their hands.
But it's completely different. The LIV golf calendar was still dominated by Western events. It didn't suddenly become a Saudi-based league.If the Saudi's buy sufficient rights to force a Champions League rival with more global clubs then that's one thing, but it doesn't mean Saudi Football will be considered any better!
Money talks.
48k said:
I wasn't suggesting that a "Liv Superleague" would be based in Saudi. Merely that it would include one or more Saudi clubs, along with the European elite clubs. They'd never be able to get a Saudi club in to the Champions League so they'd just make their own version!
Money talks.
The Saudis paying to get a Saudi club I to a Champions League rivalling competition is hardly going to drain the premier league of talent is it?Money talks.
And then raises the question of what other matches would they play all season?
Evanivitch said:
48k said:
I wasn't suggesting that a "Liv Superleague" would be based in Saudi. Merely that it would include one or more Saudi clubs, along with the European elite clubs. They'd never be able to get a Saudi club in to the Champions League so they'd just make their own version!
Money talks.
The Saudis paying to get a Saudi club I to a Champions League rivalling competition is hardly going to drain the premier league of talent is it?Money talks.
And then raises the question of what other matches would they play all season?
Evanivitch said:
Watched much MLS recently?
Quite a bit actually as you ask! in person as I live here and had a season ticket. The football was ok-ish. Last time I checked though, the MLS wasn’t state backed, the club I watched was sponsored by an energy drink rather than a state, barely has a pot to piss in and isn’t vying for a seat in global geo politics.
Other than that, spot on comparison though.
Evanivitch said:
48k said:
I wasn't suggesting that a "Liv Superleague" would be based in Saudi. Merely that it would include one or more Saudi clubs, along with the European elite clubs. They'd never be able to get a Saudi club in to the Champions League so they'd just make their own version!
Money talks.
The Saudis paying to get a Saudi club I to a Champions League rivalling competition is hardly going to drain the premier league of talent is it?Money talks.
And then raises the question of what other matches would they play all season?
TwigtheWonderkid said:
This is absolute rubbish. It's rubbish to think that's how most agents operate, and it's rubbish to think footballers are directed what to do by agents. The opposite is true. Agents have been told by the player what his goals, are, who he'd like to play for, if he'd like to play in a particular league or live in a certain city, and are their to try and achieve that for the player on the best possible terms.
And it’s naive to think that the Saudi’s aren’t in the ears of the agents to ‘persuade’ their clients it’s where to be. As most have said, money talks. If they can buy the World Cup then a few premier league players will be no problem. I hope it’s not going to happen, but it is a real possibility unfortunately. Whoever thought that the World Cup would be held in a desert and we’d be watching while wrapping Christmas presents !!
towser44 said:
With respect to them though, Rueben Neves is hardly elite, he was playing for Wolves and yes, Henderson is Liverpool captain, but he's a bit part player and is 33 years old. As I say, until the likes of Haaland, MBappe et al at their ages are rejecting moves to Europe's elite clubs in favour of Saudi clubs, then I'd worry.
He is elite. One of the best player in world football in his position and someone many of the very top clubs had shown a lot of interest in signing this summer before his sharp exit to Saudi on £300k a week.He'll 100% be back in the prem at Newcastle on loan before the season starts.
Hmmmmm read through the comments, some interesting ones, but I would tend to think about the trajectory as being S shaped not linear. We are on an upward curve at the moment but it will plateau. If they are handing out 700k a week to players well past it like Henderson they will need to start stumping up 1m a week plus for players in their prime, and millions per week for top top players, even with saudi money there will be a limit a club can finance this. Mbappe isnt going to want 1m a week if Hendo or Neves are on 500k-700k a week he is going to want 5m a week, and to be honest that would be a reflection of the difference in quality and marketing he brings vs those that are not top top players.
If I were a top player I would happily play in Europe on a paltry 150k+ a week at a top European club then wind down my career in the middle east and milk them. As others have said, I think we underestimate how important it is to players to be successful, and playing saudi league isn't it and never will be.
If I were a top player I would happily play in Europe on a paltry 150k+ a week at a top European club then wind down my career in the middle east and milk them. As others have said, I think we underestimate how important it is to players to be successful, and playing saudi league isn't it and never will be.
SWoll said:
He is elite. One of the best player in world football in his position and someone many of the very top clubs had shown a lot of interest in signing this summer before his sharp exit to Saudi on £300k a week.
He'll 100% be back in the prem at Newcastle on loan before the season starts.
Ruben Neves is one of the best midfield players in world football??He'll 100% be back in the prem at Newcastle on loan before the season starts.
Are you his agent?
SWoll said:
towser44 said:
With respect to them though, Rueben Neves is hardly elite, he was playing for Wolves and yes, Henderson is Liverpool captain, but he's a bit part player and is 33 years old. As I say, until the likes of Haaland, MBappe et al at their ages are rejecting moves to Europe's elite clubs in favour of Saudi clubs, then I'd worry.
He is elite. One of the best player in world football in his position and someone many of the very top clubs had shown a lot of interest in signing this summer before his sharp exit to Saudi on £300k a week.He'll 100% be back in the prem at Newcastle on loan before the season starts.
He has gone to Saudi for the money as he probably knows he will never play at the top level and why not make as much money as he can now.
Challo said:
SWoll said:
towser44 said:
With respect to them though, Rueben Neves is hardly elite, he was playing for Wolves and yes, Henderson is Liverpool captain, but he's a bit part player and is 33 years old. As I say, until the likes of Haaland, MBappe et al at their ages are rejecting moves to Europe's elite clubs in favour of Saudi clubs, then I'd worry.
He is elite. One of the best player in world football in his position and someone many of the very top clubs had shown a lot of interest in signing this summer before his sharp exit to Saudi on £300k a week.He'll 100% be back in the prem at Newcastle on loan before the season starts.
He has gone to Saudi for the money as he probably knows he will never play at the top level and why not make as much money as he can now.
It feels a very odd time really...silly money thrown at average players, how much financing can they actually do, and how many players can they actually attract. It will be interesting to see how players settle too, it is a very different lifestyle that some are used to.
coldel said:
Yeah but if they had Henderson, Neves, Koulibaly on show ... yeah you are right, still wouldnt tune in 
I think that plan is to go the LIv Golf Route. Set up an alternative champions league or maybe, in the future, super league. Use financial might and club indebtedness to bring those European clubs that need the cash in and then force a merger or access to Champs league proper. They will have a plan. Worked really quickly for golf.
My Saudi geography is poor, are all the clubs named after cities and areas?
Austin_Metro said:
I think that plan is to go the LIv Golf Route. Set up in the future, a super league. Use financial might, actual club ownership and other club's indebtedness to bring those European clubs that need the cash in and then force a merger or access to Champs league proper.
They will have a plan. Worked really quickly for golf.
Edited it slightly but this is exactly what I think. They will have a plan. Worked really quickly for golf.
But it should also be mentioned if you think you are paying a lot for watching your football on TV now.....
Austin_Metro said:
I think that plan is to go the LIv Golf Route. Set up an alternative champions league or maybe, in the future, super league. Use financial might and club indebtedness to bring those European clubs that need the cash in and then force a merger or access to Champs league proper.
They will have a plan. Worked really quickly for golf.
My Saudi geography is poor, are all the clubs named after cities and areas?
Given the vitriol the previous superleague effort created, a country with terrible human rights records and a country that is diametrically opposite on many fundamentals of football I would be surprised even with oil money (however long that lasts) that clubs would get away with it by forming something alongside them. They will have a plan. Worked really quickly for golf.
My Saudi geography is poor, are all the clubs named after cities and areas?
What if it did happen? Which club would you rather play for in this new super league? Real Madrid, or a saudi club? Where would you want to be based and living?
From what I understand they want to make the league one of the top 10 in the world, and get themselves a World Cup. Also they want move away from reliance on oil and invest in lots of sports.
The top 4 teams in the league are now state owned, and I think a large chunk of others are now owned by Saudi businesses.
Attracting all these players is the quick fix to try and improve the league. Whether this can be sustainable, or not is another matter. While the money will be there, will it actually improve the league? They need to improve the home grown players as well as farming in old pros as they need to make sure the national team remains strong.
The issue will be that they won’t be in the CL, and there isn’t the same interest in the Asian teams.
The top 4 teams in the league are now state owned, and I think a large chunk of others are now owned by Saudi businesses.
Attracting all these players is the quick fix to try and improve the league. Whether this can be sustainable, or not is another matter. While the money will be there, will it actually improve the league? They need to improve the home grown players as well as farming in old pros as they need to make sure the national team remains strong.
The issue will be that they won’t be in the CL, and there isn’t the same interest in the Asian teams.
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