Is Saudi Football a threat to the European leagues?

[C Kent]

Just wait till some of these superstar signings end up at Newcastle on loan

 

[Personality+]

Just wait till some of these superstar signings end up at Newcastle on loan

via the PIF quartet of clubs? absolute genius ffp bending.

 

[Doobedoo]

via the PIF quartet of clubs? absolute genius ffp bending.

Not quite genius I’ve doing it on Football manager for years. Let‘a see how it pans out though.

 

[Doobedoo]

Hmm.

In turn, this will help the country gain further legitimacy in the eyes of fans and its counterparts around the world. Without any financial regulation imposed on clubs, the league can also become a salary dumping ground for European clubs struggling to meet financial fair play (FFP) rules, complimenting the current transfer market.

PIF takes ownership of four Saudi Pro League clubs as Aramco, Neom, Driyah Gate and Royal Commission for Al-Ula also buy in - SportsPro

The PIF, owners of Newcastle United, will buy a majority stake in Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr and three other teams.

www.sportspromedia.com

 

[fez]

Further legitimacy as what? Somewhere people will work to earn obscene salaries? Somewhere good players will go to pick up one final massive paycheque?

I just don't understand this sportswashing stuff.

 

[C Kent]

Hmm.

PIF takes ownership of four Saudi Pro League clubs as Aramco, Neom, Driyah Gate and Royal Commission for Al-Ula also buy in - SportsPro

The PIF, owners of Newcastle United, will buy a majority stake in Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr and three other teams.

www.sportspromedia.com

Hmm, but the premier league did it's due diligence

However, documents from PIF’s legal team published in a court case related to the LIV Golf and PGA Tour dispute described PIF as “a sovereign instrumentality of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia” and PIF governor and Newcastle chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan as “a sitting minister of the Saudi government”. The Premier League has declined to comment on whether it had opened an investigation following the publication of the court documents.

 

[Doobedoo]

Hmm, but the premier league did it's due diligence

Of course it did, it counted the money the in the brown envelopes and it was all there.

 

[Vandle]

Players will go anywhere for the money, that's always been the case and always will be. They have to secure their earnings first and foremost like any employee. I don't see how it's a threat, a concern or any other fear inspired words bandied about in this thread. Why is Jamie Carragher worried? (Other than maybe losing his job at Sky?)
Even if they filled every one of the teams with all of the best players in Europe, what difference is that going to make? There will still be a Premier League and an England team. Most football consumed by people on here is through illegal free streams anyway, you'd just have to tune in at a slightly different time to watch it

The PIF teams buying the best players and loaning them back to Newcastle to circumvent FFP is a different matter of course and I have no doubt it will be clamped down upon, although relationships between other multi owned clubs are barely scrutinised. Just look at the deals between Udinese and Watford for one and the way that family slide their money between the two.

 

[Reuben klang]

It would only be a threat if they lure players there in the hundreds and that'd cost billions as the only reason most of them will go there is to be on inflated wages they'd never have seen otherwise.
If they pull that off I'd at least watch some matches if Neymar etc decide to move over there while still being at a world class level.

I can also see PIF or something like it being instrumental in a power shift away from UEFA (Another European Super League attempt) but we shall see if the EU Courts allow it or not.

I don’t think so because both Neymar and Messi moved to France and not a single person watches it (granted that me taking the ****, but not a single person i know IRL watches it). It barely registers on my SM platforms either.

The players will follow the money, there no difference really between what they are doing and what City/Chelsea are doing.

Madrid/Barca/Utd/Bayern/Juve/Milan/Inter have all historically paid the most and why the bulk if not all of the all time greats have played at those clubs.

 

[dannyjo22]

It certainly will have put to bed any chance of a European salary cap. Although I'd still say let that happen as they can only take a set amount of teams full of players.

 

[Bigpig]

Is there any rules about % of wages that must be paid in loans? Just asking for a mate!

 

[manic111]

Players will go anywhere for the money, that's always been the case and always will be. They have to secure their earnings first and foremost like any employee. I don't see how it's a threat, a concern or any other fear inspired words bandied about in this thread. Why is Jamie Carragher worried? (Other than maybe losing his job at Sky?)
Even if they filled every one of the teams with all of the best players in Europe, what difference is that going to make? There will still be a Premier League and an England team. Most football consumed by people on here is through illegal free streams anyway, you'd just have to tune in at a slightly different time to watch it

This seems to be a series of points with little relation to each other, but:

Players will go anywhere for the money, that's always been the case and always will be. They have to secure their earnings first and foremost like any employee.

I don't think that this is the case for a huge number of players. Most players have a lot more pride than you give them credit for. Haaland could probably go to Saudi and double his salary, but if he's earning half a million a week as things stand why on earth would he bother? His reputation would be in tatters and he'd be calling time on a genuinely competitive career at the age of 22.

It will largely be average or over the hill players who go, plus possibly a few mercenaries. The best players want a legacy.

I don't see how it's a threat, a concern or any other fear inspired words bandied about in this thread.

Surely this immediately contradicts your first point. If, as you think, all the best players will move to Saudi for the money, then it's plainly a threat. The biggest draws in the European leagues will no longer play there, which will make it less commercially appealing to sponsors and for TV rights, less financially lucrative, and therefore a threat.

Why is Jamie Carragher worried? (Other than maybe losing his job at Sky?)

Perhaps because he appreciates the English league and similar European leagues, the closeness which many clubs still have with their fans, and the detriment to that if the best players all leave.

Even if they filled every one of the teams with all of the best players in Europe, what difference is that going to make? There will still be a Premier League and an England team.

As above - it makes Europe a far less appealing proposition, to the detriment of the European leagues in question and, ultimately to the teams which are centuries old and their surrounding communities, in favour of brand new teams with no community connection and no heart.

Most football consumed by people on here is through illegal free streams anyway, you'd just have to tune in at a slightly different time to watch it

I'm not clear on the relevance to this, and it's pretty clearly untrue in any event - from what I can tell, many people here watch football legally via Sky, BT etc, and a large number go to games. Even if it is true, I don't get the point you're making here.

 

[opethdisciple]

Could Saudi investment dilute quality of PL? | 'There are long-term concerns'

Transfer Centre LIVE! The latest updates on Declan Rice, Mason Mount and Kai Havertz

www.skysports.com

 

[fez]

When they have done this for 3-5 years we can talk about it causing problems. As it stands, any younger player who wants to make a name for themselves and play for their national team won’t be playing in SA.

 

[gingergundog]

We are totally complicit. You think our government doesn’t know what the Saudis are doing with the weapons we are selling them. Do you think if Yemen had a blue and yellow flag we might actually wave a few and help fund them against a violent oppressive regime. No we are hypocrites, we on one hand demonise Putin’s illegal war, yet simultaneously remain completely oblivious and passive when it comes to our Country arming and supporting war crimes in various Middle East countries, be it Afghanistan, Yemen or Palestine.

This is quite clearly not the place for it but anyone claiming they have a problem with the Saudi money because of human rights issues needs to pipe down really.

As said neither you or me can do anything about, try and protest and see how that works out. Pretty sure those middle east countries have ongoing problems with terrorist groups. On one hand you are against the way city achieved their success and being supportive of the way utd did it but now quite happy to justify it to yourself as long as utd get some gulf money.

 

[gingergundog]

I think this is where some of us differ. They aren't even close to the West when it comes to scumbag behaviour in my eyes. As I said earlier, the US and Western powers just goes about it differently. America has a long storied history of meddling in others affairs to the countries detriment. SA is like the little rich psychopath terrorising the kids at their school. America is the district head that pulls all the strings in the background to do the real damage.

I just cant see that the west is worse, these countries have more problems than just the western interventions so will agree to disagree as I don't want to derail too much. It is possible to be against oppressive regimes sport washing and still be against what our governments do.

 

[Bigpig]

Stevie G and Bobby sealed? Seen they are also chasing the GK UTD have been linked to

 

[fez]

They are going to buy a load of players from the top leagues in Europe who are going to quickly find that their international careers are dead as soon as they leave unless they are a star player in their national team and undroppable.

I don't blame them for going over there for the money if thats what they care about. These crazy wage offers won't be on the table for more than a few years IMO. If you can make £30m/year instead of £5m/year then few would turn that down. We're seeing it in quite a few other sports. People that have said they wouldn't compete over there but money talks.

 

[opethdisciple]

Can no one see Mbappe to Saudi Arabia happening?

I'm saying it now, that in a few days/week if this Mbappe story is real that he might leave PSG then I expect journalists and news article to start coming out talking about this being a possibility.

Here's my reasoning.

I am of the understanding there is a bit of stand-off happening between PSG and Mbappe. Mbappe has one year left of a contract and has stated he will not sign a new contract.

PSG have stated that if you do not sign a new contract you will be sold.

Ok, so the logical thing we can get from this is that Mbappe is leaving PSG.

I think this scenario has probably come out of the blue for the top clubs in Europe including even Real Madrid who where probably thinking we will move for Mbappe when he is a free agent next summer.

So no European club right now has £150 mill + the wages to spend on Mbappe.

So were does he go???

He's not staying in Paris and no European side can afford him.

To me the only sides that can put together the financials to make this deal happen right now are in Saudi Arabia.

PSG are owned by Qataris. I think it would be very easy for the Qatari owners to broker a deal with a Saudi club.

This could be the moment Saudi football has been waiting for to really announce them selves as a serious destination for top players.

The moment is set up perfectly.

 

[C Kent]

He'll go to Real Madrid, there's more chance of me winning the lottery than mbappe going to the Saudi league - the guys far to driven to want to play Sunday league football regardless of the pay packet involved.