09 June 2023 , 08:57
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Lionel Messi may have opted to join Inter Miami instead of signing a huge £320m-a-year contract with Al-Hilal, but the Saudi Pro League are just getting started in their attempts to recruit football's biggest names.
Cristiano Ronaldo was the first superstar to make the jump, joining Al Nassr in January on a two-and-a-half year deal that sees him bank around £173m-a-year. Ronaldo's former Real Madrid teammate has now joined him in Saudi Arabia, signing a contract worth a reported £171m-a-year with Al-Ittihad.
"It's a good league and there are many good players," Benzema said after he was officially unveiled. "Cristiano Ronaldo is already there, a friend which shows Saudi Arabia is starting to further progress its level."
The Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF), which owns Newcastle United and bankrolled LIV Golf, recently took a majority stake in four Saudi clubs including both Al Nassr and Al-Ittihad.
And the Telegraph are now reporting that a further 10 'blockbuster' players are being pursued 'in an everyone-has-a-price approach previously adopted at LIV Golf'. Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante is out of contract this summer and looks set to join Benzema at Al-Ittihad on a reported £86.2 million-a-year contract.
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The report adds that a host of other big name players who are set to be free agents are holding talks with Saudi clubs, including Sergio Ramos, Alexis Sanchez, Angel Di Maria, Sergio Busquets and Roberto Firmino.
Sergio Ramos and Sergio Busquets are among the big name players Saudi clubs are looking to sign this summer (David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images)Jordi Alba is also said to be in talks after it was announced that he and Barcelona had mutually agreed to terminate his contract a year early. Tottenham captain Hugo Lloris has a year left on his contract, but is being courted by Saudi Arabia with the Athletic claiming he has been offered the chance to triple his current £100,000-a-week wages.
Crystal Palace forward Wilfired Zaha appears set to leave Selhurst Park on a free transfer this summer and The Mail report that he has been offered around £9m-a-year to join Al-Ittihad.
Manchester City winger Riyad Mahrez has also been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia, with Al-Ahli credited with a concrete interest in the Algerian who is under contract with Pep Guardiola's side until 2025.