The Saudi Pro League is aiming to recruit managers from the Premier League and Serie A as the focus on expansion extends beyond pricey player acquisitions. The league is also interested in managers from the Premier League and Serie A, in addition to big-name players, as the competition continues to rise.
In recent months, investment in Saudi Arabia’s top division has skyrocketed. It began when Cristiano Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr at the beginning of January, but it has accelerated significantly since the 2022–23 season’s conclusion.
N’Golo Kante from Chelsea and Karim Benzema from Real Madrid both joined the newly-crowned Al-Ittihad. When he completed a transfer from Wolves to Al-Hilal, the team that had coveted Lionel Messi, Ruben Neves, 26, defied the trend of aging players heading for a pre-retirement pay day.
Bernardo Silva has recently received a sizable offer to leave Manchester City, Edouard Mendy and Hakim Ziyech are in the process of moving from Chelsea to Saudi Arabia, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is now attracting even more interest, and Liverpool has been publicly warned about Mohamed Salah.
The Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), the same organization that owns the majority of Newcastle, has acquired controlling interests in the four biggest clubs in the league: Al Hilal, Al Nassr, Al Ahli, and Al Ittihad. This means that money will likely continue to flow into the Saudi Pro League at a rapid pace.
However, it goes beyond just gamers. Massimiliano Allegri, the head coach of Juventus, is reportedly considering a job offer from Al Nassr or Al Hilal.
Similar to this, Wolves manager Julen Lopetegui has received an offer. Lopetegui was only hired by the Premier League team in November, but he has been apprehensive about his future at Molineux due to the club’s precarious financial status and associated spending restrictions. He might not necessarily decline the opportunity to relocate and work in Saudi Arabia.
Another player having contact from the Saudi Pro League is Marco Silva of Fulham. The Portuguese player’s contract at Craven Cottage is about to expire, but no extension has been struck.
Lepetegui and Silva have both been contacted in relation to the Al Hilal position as it stands.
