Although the Saudi Pro League season is already 11 games in, there are still some players without a club despite initial interest, including one former Premier League ace.
The lure of incredible life-changing sums of money for players to move to the Emirates has seen the Pro League really put itself on the map since the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo.
A number of high-profile captures have been made by the league already, and that’s not expected to stop over the next few windows as they look to become a real force in world football.
Former Manchester United star, Jesse Lingard, is one of the latest to try his luck in the region after a potential move to West Ham United, where he’d spent a prolific loan period back in 2021, never materialised.
Former Liverpool legend, Steven Gerrard, now the manager of Al Ettifaq, offered Lingard the chance to train with the club with a view to a contract, though that hasn’t been forthcoming at this stage.
There’s a reason for that, however, according to CaughtOffside columnist, Fabrizio Romano.
‘I need to point out that Al Ettifaq can only register new players in January, not now. So at the moment, there’s still nothing done,’ he wrote in his exclusive Daily Briefing.
‘There are other Saudi clubs that are keen on signing Lingard but he will take his time, he will consider all the possible options.’
Lingard will be 31 years of age by the time that the January transfer window opens, and a questionable level of fitness – given he’s played no proper matches for months now – is going to narrow down his options significantly.
Reports, including from The Sun, suggest that there could also be an issue with the financial terms of any deal.
It had been suggested that, in fact, the player had priced himself out of a move, though that’s hard to believe given just how much money appears to be on offer for players willing to pitch up in Saudi.