Saudi Pro League targeting five Premier League players as well as Messi transfer
The Saudi Pro League wants to sign up to 50 players from Europe's 'big five' divisions this summer - including Lionel Messi.
Football is popular in Saudi Arabia, but the sport's infrastructure in the country is still growing. Saudi Arabia will host the Club World Cup in December, and they are in the running to co-host the men's international World Cup in 2030 with Egypt and Greece.
Attracting top players to the Saudi Pro League is a big part of the country's plan to establish themselves within the global game. Cristiano Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr in January - becoming the planet's best paid athlete - and more stars are expected to follow suit.
As reported by ESPN, the Saudi Pro League - in conjunction with the country's ministry of sport - want to bring out-of-contract stars from the Premier League, LaLiga, Bundesliga, Ligue 1 and Serie A to the Middle East. Messi is one of those players.
In terms of the Premier League, there are five players at the top of the Saudi shortlist: Liverpool forward Roberto Firmino, Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan, Wolves winger Adama Traore, and Everton duo Yerry Mina and Abdoulaye Doucoure.
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Firmino has already confirmed he will leave Liverpool when his contract expires in June, although it will be difficult for the Saudis to sign Gundogan due to Barcelona's interest.
Roberto Firmino could make the switch to Saudi Arabia this summer (Getty Images)Do you think the Saudi Pro League will become one of football's biggest competitions? Let us know in the comments below!
Ronaldo moved to Al-Nassr after his Manchester United contract was terminated by mutual consent. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner's presence has helped the Saudi Pro League gain international recognition, with new TV deals struck in Portugal, Italy, Greece, Germany, Austria and Switzerland by the end of February.
The Saudis would love to bring Messi to the Middle East when his Paris Saint-Germain contract expires this summer. A number of clubs are after the Argentina captain's signature - including Al-Hilal, who are Saudi Arabia's most successful team.
It was would be a huge coup for the Saudis to recreate the Messi-Ronaldo rivalry that dominated LaLiga between 2009 and 2018. Ronaldo became Real Madrid's record scorer during that period, with Messi achieving the same at Barcelona.
Right now, each Saudi Pro League team can have up to eight overseas stars on their roster - with up to seven included in the matchday squad. The division's governing body does not want to increase either of those numbers - they want to improve the quality of the competition. There are 16 teams in the Saudi top-flight, with two facing relegation.
Although Messi would receive a similar wage to Ronaldo if he joins Al-Hilal, the Saudis will not offer large sums of money to other stars. "This won't be like the Chinese league a few years ago [when players were handed lucrative contracts]," a source told ESPN.
The approach has been compared to the LIV Golf tour, which has recruited some of the sport's biggest names and is bank-rolled by the Saudis. The source added, "This isn't about trying to sign the top 50 players in the world. It is about raising the quality and profile of the league and making it the first-choice destination outside of the big leagues in Europe."
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