SAUDI Arabia’s football “gold rush” will not stop any time soon, a top football agent has said.
Charles Cardoso said the country is set to raid the Premier League yet again with another summer of splashing the cash.
Middle Eastern cities such as Dubai are also joining the emerging market – but Saudi still takes the lead, he added.
Cardoso, club president at Águas de Santa Bárbara FC, in São Paulo, told The Sun: “Europe has been losing a bit of its stardom and its big names, many of which were transferred to the Middle East – be it Saudi Arabia or Dubai.
“Today, Saudi Arabia is the ultimate goal of many – if not most – high level athletes.
“They offer big contracts, a quality lifestyle and, most importantly, no issues with astronomical salaries.
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“Saudi is a country that not only lives and breathes football, but has the the necessary funds and resources to become a powerhouse.”
When asked how can Saudi Arabia spend so much when the Prem and other leagues are hamstrung by tight regulations, Cardoso explained:
“They are able to invest a lot because it is a zero-tax country. So they are able to have all this spending, all this, because as no taxes are paid, they are better able to invest in higher salaries.
“As it has no spending cap, it is easier to spend big bucks than in other countries and other leagues.
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“Furthermore, Saudi Arabia is the largest oil distributor in the world, and as it has no tax or spending cap, the money they would use to pay taxes can be directly invested in sport.
“Because Saudi Arabia is so booming in the oil, luxury and football markets especially now, the country is attracting many investors.
“That’s why the profitability there is being very successful, whether due to the economic attraction, the investors and the confidence they have in knowing how to invest their money in football.”
Cardoso is certain it will take a lot to shake the hype around Saudi Arabia as the Kingdom is destined to do big things in football.
“I really don’t think they’re going to lose momentum anytime soon,” he said.
“They care too much about their reputation and wouldn’t build an entire industry without being extremely well-equipped.
“That’s why it will be long lasting. The Saudis make sensible business decisions, and are always planning ahead.
“They pick their players well and their team of scouts are incredibly prepared.”
Cardoso added Saudi Arabia is also on the road to “building their own UEFA”.
He explained the Kingdom wants to be recognised as a competitive league – and be on the same level as its European counterparts.
“That’s why they’re getting the best in the world – Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, you name it,” he said.
Today, Saudi Arabia is the ultimate goal of many – if not most – high level athletes
Charles Cardoso
Saudi Arabia is already linked to superstars from the Premier League as the transfer window opens.
Kevin De Brunye has spoken positively of a move to the Middle East saying: “At my age you have to be open to everything.”
“You’re talking about incredible amounts of money in what may be the end of my career.
“Sometimes you have to think about that.
“If I play there for two years, I will be able to earn an incredible amount of money. Before that I had to play football for 15 years. I may not even reach that amount yet.
“Then you have to think about what that could mean next. But at the moment I haven’t had to think about that yet.”
Meanwhile, Mo Salah is long known to be a target.
And Man Utd ace Casemiro is believed to have one foot out the door – with Saudi a destination.
But Cardoso thinks these three names are examples of a classic marketing strategy.
He said: “They’re just putting these celebrity names out there to heat up the market and get more people joining.
“So far, it’s nothing but a rumour. I was talking to the president of Santos FC the other day about this, and they probably haven’t even received an offer yet.
“But they could eventually end up there.
“As I said, the market is hotter than ever and if they receive a decent proposal, I can’t see why not.”
The football agent added there are no Premier League players on Saudi’s radar at the moment.
Despite the transfer window having started, there are still no talks about any big Prem names making a move to the Middle East, he said.
A ROUGH PATCH
Earlier this year, Cardoso said Jordan Henderson’s depearture from the Middle East marked tough times for the Saudi transfer market.
The ex-Prem star left Liverpool last summer to head to the Saudi Pro League.
But just six months down the line, Henderson agreed to rip up his bumper £700,000-a-week contract to secure a move back to European football.
And the 33-year-old was then confirmed as a new signing for Dutch giants Ajax earlier this year.
Cardoso said Saudi had a little bit of difficulty attracting new stars – even after spending more than €970million on reinforcements in the last transfer window in a bid to become the epicentre of football.
He said: “The richest football in the Middle East is threatened with a real stampede of some of the stars who were hired just six months ago and with their weight in gold to boost the tournament,” he said.
“Henderson has already left to play for Ajax, as has French centre forward Karim Benzema.
“He didn’t adapt well to Saudi Arabia and regretted making that move.
I really don’t think they’re going to lose momentum anytime soon
Charles Cardoso
“Despite being at Ajax, Henderson’s desire would be to return to the Prem in this upcoming transfer window, but it would not be a simple deal.
“The strongest possibility would be an immediate loan, and probably to a club with a less powerful squad than Liverpool, also because of his age.”
But the ex-Liverpool star’s exit didn’t signal the end of the Saudi football hype, Cardoso said.
“We are talking about a very rich country and being the main one in hiring athletes,” he explained.
“Saudi Arabia is a country that does offer opportunities, but clubs and businesses must comply with their standards, and that can be an issue to some.”
He continued: “Many high-ranking players refused to go there for that reason, such as Messi, Mbappe and David Alaba, to name a few.”
“Saudi Arabia’s culture could come as shock for Western players, their wives and children, but unlike other wealthy nations, the Kingdom still remains an extremely attractive option for athletes.”
TREATED LIKE A KING
Cardoso also revealed that top footballers making the move to Saudi Arabia will be “treated like royalty” as they live in ultra-lavish style.
Aces like Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar could be exempt from Saudi’s strict laws on alcohol and parties.
With fewer taxes, the sky is the limit on salaries and what perks can be offered to get players over to the Kingdom.
And although Saudi has a strict ban on booze and wild partying, exemptions from the Kingdom’s strict rules could be negotiated for the players, Cardoso revealed.
“When it comes to the big guys, exceptions could be agreed when negotiating their contracts,” he told The Sun.
“This means that players could potentially drink and party at home, always being careful, of course.”
Cardo said footballers moving to Saudi will also be on diplomatic visas unlike other expats and visitors.
“Even before the ink dries on their contract, players are already in for a life full of perks in Saudi Arabia,” he said.
“Players are treated like royalty over there.
“To start with, they enter the country not with an athlete visa, but under a diplomatic one.
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“Neymar will make a record £2.5million a week – I think that says it all about Saudi Arabia’s power.
“But that doesn’t apply solely to big stars, as an average footballer can make up to £1million per month.”
The 10 biggest deals in Saudi Arabian football
SAUDI Arabia has made significant investments in football, particularly in recent years, aiming to raise the profile of its domestic league.
Some of the biggest transfers include:
Cristiano Ronaldo: Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr in December 2022 on a free transfer after leaving Manchester United. His contract reportedly included a salary worth around $200 million (£158m) per year, including commercial deals.
Karim Benzema: Benzema signed with Al-Ittihad in June 2023 on a free transfer from Real Madrid. His salary was reported to be around $200 (£158m) million over two years.
Neymar: Neymar moved to Al-Hilal in August 2023 for an estimated transfer fee of around £90 million ($100 million). His contract was worth approximately £150 million ($165 million) per year.
Sadio Mané: Mané joined Al-Nassr from Bayern Munich in 2023 for a fee of approximately £30 million ($32 million).
Sergej Milinković-Savić: Milinković-Savić moved to Al-Hilal from Lazio in 2023 for around £40 million ($43 million).
Aleksandar Mitrović: Mitrović moved to Al-Hilal from Fulham in 2023 for around £46 million ($55 million).
Jordan Henderson: Henderson transferred to Al-Ettifaq from Liverpool in 2023 for an estimated fee of £12 million ($15 million).
Kalvin Phillips: Phillips transferred to Al-Ittihad from Manchester City in 2023 for around £45 million ($55 million).
Roberto Firmino: Firmino joined Al-Ahli on a free transfer in 2023 after leaving Liverpool, with his contract reportedly worth around £20 million ($22 million) per year.
Edouard Mendy: Mendy transferred to Al-Ahli from Chelsea in 2023 for a fee of around £18 million ($19.5 million).
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
