All about the top division of Saudi Arabia, the league that is upsetting the transfer market
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filippomricci
– Madrid (Spain)
In view of the expansion plan on the top level of the European market, the organizers of the Saudi Pro League decided on April 14 to expand the tournament, from 16 to 18 clubs: two relegations instead of 3, 4 promotions from the First Division instead of 3 And the return to the top division of Al-Ahli, a very powerful club with honors that fell into disgrace and in Serie B the year before, was welcomed with great relief. The Jeddah derby with Al-Ittihad, which is essential for the local population, has been restored. To celebrate promotion, Al Ahli signed the Brazilian Firmino and Chelsea goalkeeper Mendy, but their city rivals set off fireworks: Frenchmen Benzema and Kanté and Portuguese Jota from Celtic landed at Al-Ittihad.
Capital for 4
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These are the two teams of the city that overlooks the Red Sea and is the second metropolis after the capital Riyadh, which will have four formations in the Saudi Pro League: Al Hilal which has strengthened itself (for now) with Ruben Neves, the former Neapolitan Koulibaly and the last big signing, Milinkovic Savic; Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr, who had Ospina, took Brozovic and has just closed a big contract with Nike; Al-Riyadh and Al Shabab, minor clubs. The maximum number of foreigners admitted in each company is 8.
Cities and stadiums
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The championship will start again on the weekend that begins on August 11th, Thursday the 10th is thought to be, but the calendar has not been published. At the moment the clubs are focused on retirements, many of which are in Europe, and above all on the transfer market as we are seeing. The Saudi Pro League is played in 13 cities, from Abha, 2,270 meters above sea level, to the historic oasis of Al-Hasa and Mecca, where Al-Wehda play, and in 18 stadiums: a couple of venues the Al-Majma’ah Sports City of the same city and the Al-Hazem of Ar Rass reach 10,000 seats. The giant is King Fahd of Riyadh, where the Italian and Spanish Super Cups were played 3 days apart in January. It is one of two venues with a capacity exceeding 60,000, the other being Jeddah’s King Abdullah, where Al-Ahli and Al-Ittihad play.
The privatization
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The Pif (Public Investment Fund), which also owns 80% of Newcastle in the Premier League, took action to conquer the world launched by the Saudi Pro League. The Arab sovereign wealth fund has taken control of the country’s four big clubs, Al-Ittihad, Al-Ahli, Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal, those who, as seen, are spending the most. The other clubs, so far owned by the Ministry of Sport, linked to the state, have not welcomed the privatization much because they fear they cannot compete with these giants, but other privatizations are planned.
The block
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And speaking of Al-Nassr, the entry of the Pif is considered essential to solve some economic problems: the Riyadh club took CR7 in January, but has long since lost a legal dispute with Leicester linked to the purchase of the Nigerian Ahmed Musa in 2018: the Arab club owed the English club 390,000 pounds, 454,000 euros, and the non-payment of the debt after a move to Tas requested by the club relegated from the Premier League led to Fifa closing the Al-Nassr transfer market for 3 sessions. Punishment that will not affect the operations closed in these weeks and which in any case will be canceled once Leicester receives its due.
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