Arab clubs are preparing an unprecedented attack on European football

2026-01-23 17:23:03Sport SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

Arab clubs are preparing an unprecedented attack on European football

Saudi Pro League clubs are preparing an unprecedented attack on European football, with the aim of bringing around 50 top-level players at the peak of their careers to the Arab championship. Among the most sought-after names are Mohamed Salah, Vinicius Junior and Bruno Fernandes, symbols of a strategy that aims to reshape the balance of the domestic tournament and give it an even greater resonance than it has today.

According to talkSPORT, the plan is directly backed by the Saudi government and coordinated by the league's sporting director, Michael Emenalo. The operation is expected to enter its most intense phase after the 2026 World Cup, although some moves could come earlier, involving both established stars and younger profiles capable of attracting new markets.

Salah remains an absolute priority: several Saudi clubs have already tested the ground, ready to return to the attack after the maximum attempt of 2023. Attention is also on Bruno Fernandes, wanted by several clubs in the league, as well as Casemiro, Vinicius Junior and Robert Lewandowski, all monitored based on contractual situations and sporting strategies. The offensive also includes other Premier League protagonists, such as Gabriel Martinelli, Youri Tielemans and Amadou Onana, while outside England the biggest dream remains Vinicius, for whom a pharaonic offer is said to have been put on the table.

In parallel, the Saudi Pro League is carrying out a deep restructuring, between club privatizations and long-term plans to maintain the championship's international appeal, also in view of Cristiano Ronaldo's future.

Many Saudi clubs are entering a phase of social reorganization and, in the medium-to-long term, a transition to new ownership structures is foreseen for the four clubs under the control of the PIF: Al Hilal, Al Nassr, Al Ittihad and Al Ahli.

The sovereign wealth fund's intervention in 2023 was intended to be temporary and Al Hilal should be the first to change ownership, with the Ministry of Sports already engaged in the process of transitioning to a private investor. Big changes are expected in the near future and the view of what is happening in Arabia, both from a sporting and political point of view, should be very attentive.


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