The Saudi Professional League: Attracting Global Stars and Transforming Football

2023-11-08 11:11:57

The Saudi Professional League continues to be an attractive destination for more stars to join its various clubs, whether during the upcoming winter transfer period, or the following summer.

In addition, the latest name nominated by many sources to join the star brigade playing in Saudi Arabia is Portuguese midfielder Bruno Fernandes, the English Manchester United player.

The widespread sports network ESPN said that Saudi League officials have already begun exploring the possibility of reaching a deal with the United captain at the end of the season.

Officials believe the move might happen in the summer of 2024 and hope to begin talks with representatives of the Portuguese international regarding the possibility of future negotiations.

Fernandez defended the colors of Novara, Udinese and Sampdoria in Italy, in addition to the Portuguese giant Sporting Lisbon, with whom he won three titles, and from there he moved to Manchester United in the winter of 2020 for 55 million euros, in addition to 25 million euros in variables.

Fernandes has scored 67 goals and added 57 assists in 200 matches since joining United. This season alone, despite United’s declining form, he has scored 3 goals in 11 league games.

The 29-year-old midfielder earned the captaincy under the leadership of Eric Ten Hag, but the team is suffering in its second season under the Dutch coach’s tutelage.

Fernandes leads a long list of goals set by Saudi officials, and if he leaves England, he might join a number of stars who have already moved to the Saudi Professional League, including his former teammate and compatriot Cristiano Ronaldo.

The other star nominated to join the Saudi League is Polish scorer Robert Lewandowski, the Spanish FC Barcelona striker.

The global Sports Brave website said that Barca appears to be on the verge of losing the prominent striker Leyva to the Saudi Professional League or the American Football League next season, following some clubs in both regions showed interest in him.

The 34-year-old striker, who led the Blaugrana team to the Spanish League title last season, was on the wish list of top Saudi clubs and the American League over time, and they might interest him once more next summer.

According to the “Football Spain” website, a huge Saudi offer worth 150 million euros was made for Lewandowski in the summer, but Barcelona and the player rejected it.

Lewandowski is struggling to reach his peak level this season with the Spanish League champions following suffering from injuries. He scored only 6 goals and made 4 assists in all competitions.

Meanwhile, Barcelona sees Robert Lewandowski as a role model for the next young generation and will not accept allowing the 34-year-old striker to leave the club soon, according to The Athletic.

The Catalan club decided to make the Polish striker an essential part of its project in the summer of 2022. He was offered a three-year contract with the option to extend for a fourth season.

So far, there is no player in the Barcelona squad or even in the Spanish League in general who has the talent that he has, which is a vital asset for the club in its attempt to retain the league title.

Earlier, Sports Brief reported that Barcelona is closely monitoring two Nigerian strikers, Victor Boniface, the German Bayer Leverkusen player, and Victor Osimhen, the Italian Napoli player, as potential replacements for Robert Lewandowski.

Lewandowski previously represented the clubs Legia Warsaw, Loznic Brzozkov and Lech Poznań in Poland, before moving to the German Bundesliga and shining first with Borussia Dortmund and then in 8 seasons with Bayern Munich.

The Polish striker joined the Catalans from Bayern last summer in a deal said to be worth €50 million, leading them to the Spanish League title and the Spanish Super Cup.

Leva scored 39 goals in 58 matches for Barca, and led them to the Spanish League title, La Liga, and the Spanish Super Cup last season.

It is noteworthy that Al-Nasr striker Sadio Mane recently expressed his admiration for the level of competition in the Saudi Professional League, and compared it to some of the best leagues in Europe.

Mane, who scored 9 goals in 21 matches in all tournaments with Al-Nasr this season, including 6 goals in the league, believes that the Saudi league is improving and is getting closer to emulating the European leagues.

He added in press statements reported by the “Sports Brave” website: “The Saudi Professional League is on the right path because I played in England and Germany as well as France, and I can say that the Saudi League is strong and getting stronger, so I hope that the league next year will be much better.”

The Senegalese striker previously won his first title with Al-Alamy. Where he played a starring role in the victory over Al Hilal in the King Salman Club Cup final.

The Senegalese striker also scored the only goal to qualify Al-Nasr for the quarter-finals of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup following defeating Al-Ettifaq in an epic confrontation, as Al-Nasr played most of the match with ten players following Brazilian striker Anderson Talisca was sent off in the first half.

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