Saudi League can raid English football three weeks AFTER Premier League transfer window closes

Premier League clubs face having their squads raided by the Saudi Pro League for nearly a month after the transfer window has closed.

The Saudi spending campaign is threatening to reshape the global game, with Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante the latest high-profile player to make the move from Europe to the Middle East, following in the footsteps of Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema.

And with clubs in Saudi Arabia able to sign players until September 20, the impact on the English top flight will continue to be felt for three weeks after the Premier League’s transfer window closes on September 1.

Kante has joined Al-Ittihad while Chelsea trio Kalidou Koulibaly, Edouard Mendy and Hakim Ziyech are poised to complete moves to Al-Hilal, Al-Ahli and Al-Nassr respectively. 

Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves is also closing in on a move to Al-Hilal for a club-record £47million.

Al-Hilal have also agreed a £47million move for Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves this summer

Neves’ move felt particularly significant: here was a player aged 26, at the peak of his career, opting to leave behind top-level European football.

Barcelona had shown an interest in the Portugal star but he and agent Jorge Mendes looked elsewhere after talks were slow to progress.

Though not every player is attracted by the Saudi Pro League, with Romelu Lukaku, Bernardo Silva and Son Heung-min among those thought to have resisted initial interest, the huge offers will continue to arrive.

The Saudi Pro League is thought to be targeting 100 of the world’s top players for the competition within five years. Saudi Arabia also plans to bid for the 2030 World Cup.