The Saudi Premier League has been nicknamed the "banknote" league by fans because of its crazy brandishing of the checkbook this summer to introduce many well-known stars. After Porto winger Ottavio joined Saudi Arabia's Riyadh Victory for 60 million euros, on August 24, local time, the Saudi Premier League team finalized two more transfers - Manchester City's Spanish centre-back Laporte joined Riyadh Victory for 27.5 million euros, and Lyon winger Ecambi transferred to Abha for 1.7 million euros.
In addition to the above-mentioned few latest stars who have joined the Saudi Premier League, there will definitely be stars from Europe and the United States to Saudi Arabia to pan for gold, and Saudi teams will grab the "golden dollar stick" to attract more stars before the deadline of the summer transfer window in European football on August 31. A number of Spanish media broke the news that Spain's 21-year-old rising star Bega, who had previously been close to joining Napoli, had basically decided to transfer to Jeddah National from Celta. Previously, the landing of stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Benzema, Mane, N'Golo Kante, Mahrez, Henderson and other stars in Saudi Arabia did not alarm European football, after all, they are not young, and it is understandable to earn a "pension" in the final stage of their careers. But now, Bega, known as the future "Spanish midfield hopeful star" Spanish U21 youth team member is also about to choose to go to Saudi Arabia to pan for gold, which makes Spanish football and even European football feel alert and panic, "Marca" even said that this transfer will light up a red light for European football!
Many European giants are interested,
But Bega could not resist the Saudis' offer of nearly 6 times their annual salary
On August 24, local time, two news related to the Saudi Premier League in European football attracted attention from the outside world. First of all, Manchester City's Spain international Laporte moved to Riyadh Victory for 27.5 million euros, becoming new teammates with Cristiano Ronaldo, Mane, Brozovic and others, and Riyadh Victory offered him an annual salary of 25 million euros. Laporte is almost 30 years old after all, and has lost his main position in Manchester City, it is not surprising that he chose to pan for gold in Saudi Arabia.
Laporte transfers to Riyadh Victory
Compared with Laporte's trip to Saudi Arabia, another piece of news made many people unable to sit still. According to a number of Spanish media reports such as Marca newspaper, the 21-year-old Spanish midfielder Bega is about to join Saudi Arabia's Jeddah National, who offered Celta a transfer fee of 40 million euros, and the annual salary given to Bega also reached 12.5 million euros. Marca newspaper said Celta was satisfied with the transfer fee and had accepted the offer, while Bega himself agreed to join the Saudi club.
"Incredible, but that's the truth!" The newspaper Marca used the headline to express its shock at the 21-year-old Spanish hopeful who chose to go to Saudi Arabia to pan for gold. Previously, most of the Saudi clubs were older stars, such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Benzema, Henderson, Firmino, Mane, N'Golo, Brozovic and others, all of whom were in their thirties and were in the end or final stages of their careers. Going to Saudi Arabia to exert their spare time and earn good remuneration is a category that the outside world can understand. Although there were also 28-year-old Savage, 26-year-old Neves, Casey, St. Maximin and other stars who were playing in the year also followed the footsteps of their predecessors to the Saudi Super League, but it also alarmed European football.
However, the 21-year-old Bega is clearly different! He shined in La Liga last season, contributing 11 goals and four assists for Celta, especially scoring twice to help the team beat Barcelona 2-1 to make Bega famous. As a midfielder of the Spanish U21 national youth team, Bega, who can attack and defend well, has also been favored by many Premier League, La Liga, Serie A giants, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea, Greater Paris and other big teams are interested in bringing him in, and many of them also sent scouts to inspect Bega. The closest to signing Berga before is the reigning Serie A champion Napoli, a few days ago the famous Serie A journalist Romano revealed that Napoli bid 36 million euros to sign Berga from Celta, the two sides basically negotiated, but the crazy Saudi club at this moment and "cut the beard", Romano recently revealed that Jeddah democracy coach Yaisler personally came forward to contact Bega and impressed the latter. Coupled with Jeddah's offer of 40 million euros, which is already equivalent to Bega's release fee, Celta has accepted the offer.
In the 38th round of La Liga in the 22/23 season, Celta beat Barcelona 2-1, and Bega scored twice according to IC photo
The 21-year-old member of the Spanish national youth team, chased by many European giants, Bega's future should have been smooth. But in the face of the annual salary of 12.5 million euros offered by Jeddah nationals, the contract of 2.2 million euros given by Naples before looks quite "shabby", after all, the annual salary offered by the Saudis is close to 6 times that of Naples!
Saudi league begins to aim for the Champions League,
Hope to qualify for a Champions League wild card from UEFA
Whether it's for money or the future is a personal choice for players, but in the eyes of Spanish footballers, Bega's choice to leave European football at the age of 21 and go to Saudi Arabia to pan for gold is really not good for the development of his career. Many well-known figures in Spanish football have talked about this transfer that is considered a "landmark event", Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said: "Saudi Arabia can indeed provide more money, but the relevant organizations should carefully assess the consequences of this matter and then make necessary measures to maintain the balance of the market." ”
Marca newspaper commented that Bega is about to join Jeddah National, which is "a red alert for European football"! The newspaper said: "Now young hopefuls choose to go to Saudi Arabia, and only money is persuaded to them!" Celta boss Benitez believes that his disciple Bega's choice to go to Saudi Arabia can at least make his family's life better, but he did not comment on the impact of this choice on Bega's future.
According to the German authoritative website "Transfer Market", this summer, the total investment of the Saudi Premier League in recruitment has reached 803 million euros! Riyadh Crescent is second in the global summer window investment list, behind Chelsea with €401 million with €353 million, signing stars such as Neymar, Neves, Mitrovic, Savage and Koulibaly. Cristiano Ronaldo's Riyadh Victory ranked eighth among global clubs with €165 million in the summer window, while Jeddah National, who is about to sign Bega, is in twelfth place with €143 million.
On August 19, 2023, local time, Neymar officially appeared in Riyadh Crescent According to Visual China
Saudi clubs have attracted European and American stars, and they are now even eyeing the Champions League. A few days ago, Roma Gazzetta reported that the Saudi Premier League hopes to qualify for a Champions League wild card from UEFA starting in the 2024/25 season. ESPN said that Saudi Premier League officials have contacted UEFA about this and they are willing to pay a huge financial price for this Champions League wild card qualification. UEFA is also interested in this proposal, due to special reasons, Russian Super League teams are currently unable to participate in the Champions League, so UEFA has a Champions League main stage and a play-off place that can be used to "transfer". Once the Saudi team does get the opportunity to participate in the Champions League, it is believed that it will further enhance the willingness of high-level European players to join the Saudi Premier League, and there may be more "Bega" who choose to play in Saudi Arabia in the future.
The Marca newspaper also expressed its concerns in an opinion piece, saying: "Now a lot of high-profile players are waiting for a call from [the Saudi side], waiting for an offer they can't refuse." Under the golden dollar offensive of the Saudi League, European football seems powerless, and FIFA and UEFA cannot prevent this situation, European football has been shrouded in 'fear'! ”
Red Star News reporter Jiang Shan
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