The Beginning of a New Era: Ronaldo, Henderson, and Benzema Set to Make Waves in the Saudi Pro League
The Saudi Pro League’s “remarkable” spending spree on players set to continue
The Saudi Pro League has been making waves in the world of football with its extravagant spending on top-notch players, and according to one of its leading executives, this trend shows no signs of slowing down. Peter Hutton, a British director who sits on the league’s board and boasts an impressive career in the sports industry, believes that the budgets are already secured for several years ahead.
Since Cristiano Ronaldo joined the league from Manchester United earlier this year, other prominent names have followed suit. The list includes Karim Benzema, formerly of Real Madrid; Jordan Henderson, former captain of Liverpool; as well as established players from Chelsea, Manchester City, and Bayern Munich.
Moreover, just last month Al-Hilal made headlines by submitting a world-record £259m bid for Paris St-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe. The magnitude of these signings has caught the attention of many within the sporting community.
Peter Hutton expressed his awe at this project’s scale and ambition during an extensive interview with BBC Radio 5 Live’s special program ‘The Saudi Story’. He stated that he had never witnessed anything quite like it throughout his four decades in sports: “I’ve worked in sport for 40 years and I’ve never seen a project as big ,as ambitious and as determined to be a success.”
While some may view this spending spree as detrimental to European football dominance, Hutton believes otherwise: “It is not necessarily a bad thing if it means European football is not as strong as it has been. He further put the Saudi spending into perspective, highlighting that their expenditures are only a quarter or fifth of what Premier League clubs have spent this summer.
The financial power of the Saudi Pro League has already forced renowned managers like Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp to take notice. Guardiola stated that the league’s influence has “changed the market” for transfers, emphasizing the need for elite clubs to be aware of these developments. On the other hand, Klopp expressed concern regarding the late closure of transfer windows in Saudi Arabia.
Transfermarkt data reveals that SPL clubs have spent 409m euros (£352m) during this summer transfer period. This figure cements them as one of world football’s biggest spenders, ranking fifth globally and surpassing Spain’s La Liga which recorded 254m euros (£218m). As expected, the Premier League dominates with an astounding 1.37bn euros (£1.17bn) spent.
When asked about how much threat SPL poses to established football powers around the globe, Hutton responded: “The investment from Saudi is remarkable; it’s certainly been a big acceleration.” However, he also mentioned that this shift may not necessarily undermine Europe’s strength in world football but rather indicates a more balanced global presence: “It’s good that football has strength around the world.”
Saudi Arabia has significantly invested in sports over recent years; however, concerns have been raised surrounding human rights issues and women’s rights in particular within the country. It is notable that same-sex sexual activity remains illegal in Saudi Arabia with severe punishment including death penalty still being enforced.
A criticism was directed at Jordan Henderson following his move to Al-Ettifaq due to his previous support for LGBTQ+ communities. In response to such concerns raised by critics, Hutton explained his involvement with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) was motivated by observing positive changes on the ground. He noted that women’s football has seen tremendous advancements and a surge in participation within the local community.
Hutton emphasized how remarkable and rapid these transformations have been, acknowledging that progress could be faster from Western perspectives. Nevertheless, he highlighted concrete evidence showcasing significant improvements: “You’ve now got 50,000 school girls playing football. You’ve got 1,000 women coaches. In 2018 there were only 750 registered coaches; today we have over 5,500.”