Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has shared his thoughts about the Saudi Pro League, which has stolen the show in the last few months by signing some top players from Europe.
Guardiola was speaking after his former player Riyad Mahrez completed a move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli for £30m.
Guardiola said Al-Nassr striker Cristiano Ronaldo made it easy for other players to move to Saudi Arabia since he was the first big player to sign for a Saudi Arabia club.
The likes of Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kante, Ruben Neves, Kalidou Koulibaly, Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane, and Jordan Henderson have joined Saudi Pro League clubs this summer already. Newcastle United star Allan Saint-Maximin also joined the list of players that moved away from the Premier League for Saudi Arabia..
Recently, Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said he is not concerned about Saudi’s growing influence in the sport because the Premier League took decades to build itself to where it is now, per the Athletic.
Guardiola credits Ronaldo
Speaking while on the club’s pre-season tour of South Korea on Saturday, the former Barcelona coach said after Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr, other players started moving to the Middle Eastern country.
““Saudi Arabia has changed the market. A few months ago when Cristiano (Ronaldo) was the only one to go, no one thought this many top, top extraordinary players would go to play in the Saudi league. I think in the close future it is going to happen more and more,” via the Guardian.
However, he warned that the Saudi Pro League is here to stay and will probably challenge the top leagues.
“Right now, the Saudi league, I don’t know how long they will sustain that but the feeling is that they will stay. I would say the players want to take this experience to play in that league and they are able to do it.”
Recently, Pep Guardiola said : “Saudi Arabia has changed the market. A few months ago when Cristiano (Ronaldo) was the only one to go, no one thought this many top, top extraordinary players would go to play in the Saudi league. I think in the close future it is going to happen more and more.”
“Everyone complains about Saudi Arabia, but when Saudi Arabia knocks on the door, all clubs open the door, red carpet: ‘What do you want my friend? I’ll sell everything!’ So happy! Ah… complain for everything, but everyone opens the door!”
