Bruno's move comes just months after another Premier League star, Mohamed Salah, turned down a £500m offer from the Saudi Pro League.
Salah has decided to continue his association with Liverpool with a new two-year contract. Although he is 32 years old, considered the ideal age to "retire" in the Middle East, Salah still prioritizes his career over money.
Similarly, Fernandes, who is two years younger than Salah, also chose to fight in Europe instead of leaving the top to pursue finance. It is known that the biggest reason for his refusal was that he did not want to leave the most competitive arena on the planet, despite the irresistible financial offer and the precarious situation at Old Trafford.
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Not every star can be recruited with money. |
This is clearly a wake-up call for Saudi Arabia. Since signing Cristiano Ronaldo in January 2023, the league has invested billions of pounds to bring in big names such as Neymar, Benzema and Kante. However, most of the players who have come to the Saudi Pro League are either past their prime or have no place in Europe.
Michael Emenalo, director of football for the Saudi Pro League, once confidently declared: “We have top players, even world- class.”
But the harsh reality is gradually being revealed: apart from Ronaldo, Saudi Arabia has not been able to recruit any stars at the peak of their form. The prospect of them becoming "Chinese Super League 2.0", a short-lived golden wave, is becoming worrying.
If plans to recruit superstars continue to fail, Saudi Arabia's long-term strategy, including hosting the 2034 World Cup, could face the risk of collapse.
As players begin to see the quality of football fall short, empty stands and money no longer being the sole deciding factor, the option of “staying in Europe” will become increasingly popular. And that is something the Saudi Pro League never anticipated.
Source: https://znews.vn/cai-tat-canh-tinh-saudi-pro-league-post1558136.html
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