The footballing world was left stunned this week by comments from former Manchester City midfielder Tijjani Reijnders openly admitting the financial motivations behind his lucrative £51m transfer to Saudi Pro League side Al Qadsiah. “Why wouldn’t I do it?” said Reijnders on his shock summer move: leaving Premier League giants Manchester City after just one season at the club.
The Dutchman spoke candidly of his desire not to work after his footballing career and secure finances for his family for generations. “Everyone can play the moralist,” he said, “but I think everyone would say yes to that.” While some have criticised Reijnders’ comments as insensitive, others have praised his honesty in addressing the motivation behind players’ decisions to move to the Saudi league. Although plagued by accusations of sports washing from human rights groups who are critical of the country’s record on women’s freedoms and labour abuses, a huge number of big-name stars have made the switch to Saudi Arabia following the transfer of Ronaldo from Manchester United to Pro League side Al-Nassr in 2022.
This summer, Arsenal winger Gabriel Martinelli and Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins signed for Pro League side Al-Hilal for respective fees reported upwards of £60m and £51m. The signing of younger stars such as Martinelli and Reijnders also suggests a shift in the league’s approach to its recruitment strategy. Having previously profited from the purchase of ageing players such as Karim Benzema, Jordan Henderson, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mané, the league is now seeking the acquisition of talents with a resale value when they return to Europe.
Once seen as a career death, the prospect of a European return and the continued possibility of international football, as exemplified by Henderson’s recent return to the Premier League, alongside Pro League talents such as Mané, Ronaldo and France midfielder N’Golo Kante, at the 2026 World Cup may encourage players struggling for a place in Europe to make the move to the Saudi league.
It is not just Saudi Arabia attracting former Premier League stars away from Europe’s top leagues. Turkish club Trabzonspor shocked the world with their acquisition of Egyptian legend Mo Salah this summer, with the former Liverpool forward reported to be making £14.5m per season, as well as 20 per cent of the profits of products sold in his name and other conditional bonuses. Belgian winger Trossard also made the move to Türkiye from Premier League champions Arsenal, signing for Süper Lig side Beşiktaş in a transfer worth a reported £15.3m. It was widely anticipated that Salah, perhaps the most recognisable Arab footballer in the world, would join former Liverpool teammates Mané and Firmino in Saudi Arabia following his departure from Merseyside. His decision to join Trabzonspor, generally regarded as the fourth biggest club in Turkey after the “Big Three” of Beşiktaş, Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray, shows that European leagues now face numerous challenges to their hegemony over the world’s best footballing talent.
“Cristiano Ronaldo playing for Al Nassr FC against Persepolis, September 2023 (cropped)” by Mehrdad Esfahani/SNN is licensed under CC BY 4.0.
