Saudi spending in transfer window second only to English Premier League

RIYADH – Spending by Saudi Arabian football clubs in the recently concluded transfer window was second only to that by teams in the English Premier League, according to reports published on Friday by Fifa and analysts Deloitte.

The sport’s world governing body said that clubs from the Saudi Pro League had spent US$875.4 million (S$1.19 billion) on new players in the period from June 1 to Sept 1, still well behind the Premier League’s US$1.98 billion but just ahead of France’s US$859.7 million.

Deloitte, in a separate report, said the total figure up to the Saudi league’s window closing on Thursday, Sept 7, reached US$957 million, with a net spend of US$907 million as star players such as Neymar and reigning Ballon d’Or Karim Benzema made eye-catching moves to the country.

Izzy Wray of Deloitte’s Sports Business Group said it was the first time since 2016 that an international league had outspent any of Europe’s “Big Five” in a transfer window.

“The ambitious number of player acquisitions and the calibre of players signed demonstrate the kingdom’s commitment to propelling the Saudi Pro League to become a leading football league on the world stage,” she said.

“This is still early days of what we can call phase one of the Saudi Pro League project.

“European football continues to be the benchmark for the game globally, and the Saudi investment in the game will divert its focus... to elevate the level of Asian football.”

Other big-name players who left leading European leagues to head to the Gulf state included Sadio Mane, N’Golo Kante, Fabinho and Riyad Mahrez.

Fifa’s report, meanwhile, said that Saudi spending meant that “clubs from the AFC (Asian) region accounted for 14 per cent of the global transfer spending, marking the first time that teams from a confederation other than Uefa have surpassed 10 per cent of the total”.

Deloitte’s Sports Business Group added that 37 players moved to Saudi Arabia from Europe’s so-called top five leagues in England, Spain, Italy, Germany and France.

Much of the Saudi Pro League’s business was done with Premier League clubs, which received US$698 million in overseas transfer fees including US$312 million from Saudi teams.

Saudi clubs spent US$148 million on players from France’s Ligue 1, US$122 million in Italy’s Serie A, US$116 million in Spain’s La Liga and US$32 million in Germany’s Bundesliga, Deloitte said.

The Saudi Pro League, including four teams – Al-Ittihad, Al-Ahli, Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal – owned by the government’s oil-funded Public Investment Fund, has been buying players with an aim to revamp the league as part of the country’s ambitious economic diversification plan.

This window's biggest transfer move came from the most successful club in Saudi Arabia, Al-Hilal, who spent €90 million (S$131 million) to bring in Brazil star Neymar from Paris Saint-Germain.

For all its expenditure, the league still missed out on some of its biggest targets.

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah was a target for Al-Ittihad, who reportedly had a bid worth £150 million (S$255.4 million) turned down by the Premier League club, while ambitious bids from Al-Hilal for Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe failed to materialise. AFP, REUTERS