This whole thing feels like that year or two when Chinese teams were splashing money. I wonder if the Saudis keep it up year after year. If they do, the face of club soccer is about to change forever.
They'll probably do it until they host the world cup. Maybe it's extreme now because they want to make a big splash, but I think they're gonna spend a lot of money for players, stadiums, bribes, etc to be able to host in 2034.
Thing is... 2034 is a long way away still. If they keep spending like this they'll be the worlds top league by then. At the moment people brush off the saudi league by saying things like "you're only going their for the money, there is no real competition there"....but what happens when that's not the case any more?
It's not something I want, but people are really sticking their heads in the sand trying to hide from that very real possibility.
The Saudi league will never be a top league I think. No offense to anyone but playing for a European club and competing in the champions league will surely remain the ultimate goal for the foreseeable future.
The money is what draws players for the time being. Saudi Arabia has lots of money now but that country is doomed and foreigners are not gonna be happy to live there, especially players' partners. When the extreme amount of spending stops then top players will have no reason to go there.
Cause honestly, why would any top player move there if not for insane amount of money? It's not a nice place to live (especially compared to London, Barcelona, Milan, Munich, etc) and without the champions league and the lack of history of the local league... I feel like they're never going to consistently be able to get top players for the next ten years.
Thought I read somewhere that they had a couple billion to invest in the next decade or so. Wish I could remember where I read it, could be wrong.
Same it's a very large sum like that but it is finite so it won't last forever
This guy has taken every step possible to waste away his career
Absolute insanity. This Saudi money is wild.
PSG fan here, slightly sad to hear that because this guy has produced amazing football with us. But too infrequently Tu justify his wages unfortunately. Time for him to go and the transfer amount is nice 👍 Good luck Ney
Really sad.
no it isn't, the cunt can go rot in Saudi Arabia
Nike Inc. said it ended its partnership with Neymar after the Brazilian soccer star wouldn’t cooperate in a probe of sexual assault allegations against him made by a company employee.
The Journal said the employee told friends and colleagues in 2016 that Neymar had tried to force her to perform oral sex in his New York City hotel room, citing people familiar with the matter and documents reviewed by the newspaper. The employee was helping coordinate logistics and events for Neymar and his group, it reported.
I follow soccer really closely and I never heard of that. Wild.
Money rules some players, I hope they don't end up like others players, who went there and didn't even get money. I did reade article in the athletic about this.
I feel like he could have gotten a few more Ballon D'or top 3 if he stayed at Barca.
Here for discussion of all things association football/soccer!
Rules
Other Football/Soccer Related Communities