Guardiola admits Saudi worry and says Man City were powerless over Mahrez exit
Pep Guardiola has warned the Premier League that its status is now under serious threat from Saudi Arabia.
The Manchester City boss admitted that he did not want to lose Algerian winger Riyad Mahrez to Pro League club Al-Ahli - but claimed that even the cash-rich treble winners were powerless to prevent the Algerian winger from joining football’s exodus to the desert once he was offered a contract worth £750,000-a-week.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Jordan Henderson, Roberto Firmino and N’Golo Kante have all cashed in on the Saudis’ bid to build the best domestic league in the world.
And midfielder Bernardo Silva has also been offered a fortune to turn his back on City.
It has prompted Guardiola to claim that the Premier League ’s position as the richest league in the world is about to be challenged.
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Guardiola said: “It is not about a threat, it is a reality. They (Saudi Arabia) want to create a strong league and so far they are the league who can do it.
“The Premier League spent more than the other because the organisation is better and the broadcasts (revenues) are higher.
“Right now with the Saudi league, I don't know how long they will sustain that. But the players want to take this experience and play in that league.”
Guardiola says the Premier League is under threat from Saudi riches (Kyodo)Mahrez was devastated to be left out of City’s starting line-up in both the FA Cup final and Champions League final last month.
Guardiola revealed that he still had hopes that the 32-year-old would turn down a bank-busting fortune to stay at the Etihad when City departed on their pre-season tour of the Far East.
Mahrez was left behind in Manchester to decide his future - and opted to take the riches on offer in the Middle East.
Guardiola said: “Saudi Arabia has changed the market.
“A few months ago when Cristiano was the only one to go and no-one thought this many top, top players would play in the Saudi league.
“In the future there will be more - and that’s why clubs need to be aware of what is happening.
“Riyad got an incredible offer and that's why we could not say ‘don't do it’. Definitely our thoughts were for Riyad to stay here.”
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Guardiola added: “I understand completely. I know how tough it was to not play in the FA Cup final and Champions League final.
“I enjoyed as a manager to be with him. I had a special relationship with him. Our relationship was with incredible respect.
Mahrez (bottom) has joined former Premier League stars Edouard Mendy and Roberto Firmino at Al-Ahli (Al Ahli Instagram)“He is one of the guys in my career who I saw who enjoyed the most - he would play today, tomorrow. Incredible skills and technical ability. Riyad was loved by the staff.
“He’s an important figure in the success we have had in the last five years. I wish him and his family all the best.”
City have also lost captain Ilkay Gundogan to Barcelona, while Kyle Walker is considering an offer from Bayern Munich and Bernardo Silva is being courted by Barcelona and Paris St Germain as well as Saudi club Al Hilal, and Aymeric Laporte is open to offers.
Mateo Kovacic, a £30million arrival from Chelsea has been City’s only signing of the summer - but while Guardiola isn’t looking for a direct replacement for Mahrez, he does expect the champions to do more business.
Guardiola isn’t looking for a direct replacement for Mahrez (Getty Images)The City boss has identified RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol as his top target, but while City’s offer meets the German club’s £87million valuation there is still no agreement on the package of bonus payments involved.
Guardiola said: “It is not easy to replace this kind of player, but it’s about numbers in the squad and the market is open until the end of August.
“We are not looking for a replacement for Riyad in terms of skill because every player is different.
“We will see what happens with loan players, and which players stay here. A few things are going to happen.”
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