There’s not too much doubt that the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo by Saudi Pro League side, Al Nassr, was the catalyst for the exodus we are currently seeing to the Middle East.
Though it may take a few years yet, if the best that European football has to offer starts to get their heads turned by the riches that are on offer in the Pro League, the Premier League as we know it will be dead in the water.
It really is a major threat to football in England, and the sooner that the powers-that-be think about the situation in those terms, the better.
The movers and shakers need to stop burying their heads in the sand and think about ways in which everyone can work together in a harmonious atmosphere.
The four biggest teams in the Saudi Pro League, Al Nassr, Al Hilal, Al Ahli and Al Ittihad, are now owned by the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), which also owns Newcastle United.
They will, largely, control what happens to the league over the next few seasons, though they may well have been blindsided by FIFA’s ruling on Al Nassr.
Al-Nassr failed to comply with the ruling resulting in the registration ban. Sources indicate it will be lifted in a matter of weeks providing Al-Nassr now make the payment promptly, which they have indicated they will.
— Ben Jacobs (@JacobsBen) July 12, 2023
According to a tweet from reliable journalist, Ben Jacobs, Cristiano Ronaldo’s side are currently banned from signing any players.
This is as a result of failing to pay add-ons owed to Leicester as part of the Ahmed Musa deal.
Although the issue is expected to be resolved in due course, it’s still an issue that the club can do without, especially when the eyes of the football world are on the league.