Saudi Pro League and Transfers 2023

Haven't heard this, how would that work?

I think they have to stay 2 years to avoid paying income tax on it in Saudi is all I have heard, I didn't look into it at all. With footballers and finances it tends to be too webbed to work out tbh

According to Miguel Delaney, Neymar was touted around all the elite clubs and only Barca showed any interest, and that was a loan deal.

Just shows you how finished he is.

I hate Neymar but that is some weekly wedge that i do admire, fair play to him. Could have been a world great if he applied himself but didnt and isnt.

I watched highlights of a game in the league on YouTube, one featuring Benzema.

Poor crowd in the stadium. Poor standard of players. It's pretty clear the money is talking, but surely someone as good as Benzema has to be asking himself why did he decide to sell his soul to play in this Mickley mouse nonsense.

Will Neymar go down in history as the biggest flop for his transfer to PSG? A world record fee and by some distance, with zero Champions Leagues, zero Balloon d'Ors, and injured or unavailable for over 50% of PSGs games.

Back to Celtic?

They need him badly.

For all the endless dirty money in the Saudi leagie, they will never be able to produce the atmosphere , passion and rivalaries of leagues in England, Spain and Italy, not to mention Champions league nights. Millionaires playing dessert football in the searing heat , really a charade of Sportwashing - hope it fails and players start returning after seeing through the corrupt conditions, masked by the obscene money.

aside from the ethical side, not everyone like playing or living in a desert - they can not match the tradition, rivalry of matches likes Manchester United/Liverpool derbys, Champios league nights - I know where Id prefer to play and live, the likes of a washed up Ranaldo and Neymar will certinly go, and take the dirt money

Instantly elevated the perception of PSG as well. Which was a large reason for the transfer.

Firmino and Henderson both want out from the Saudi League some possible reasons given by media outlets include poor attendance at games, limited nightlife, WAGs unhappy and climate.

Who in their right mind moves to a different country and obviously does no research? Especially a country that couldn't be more different than England culturally, climate wise and not even look into the league they are heading to. 10 mins on the Internet would have answered those questions. Wouldn't have been blinded by the cash by any chance🤔

Henderson's family aren't even living in Saudi Arabia.

I thought most the players were living in Bahrain?

Pro footballers generally lead a pretty low key life,

Most marry young and make families. They train daily and not much else, having a good family environment is important to them but they have been blinded by the money. You have lads going over there on big money already, it all just seems a bit pointless. The likes of Henderson have probably made enough money to leave his children's children rich.

The US has similar culture to UK so I can see the attraction while sacrificing the quality of football, but they are moving to a country with no rights and under Sharia law. The difference in culture is quite jarring

This just sounds like an expensive prison to be honest. It's the location that's the issue not the facilties.

Also these are people (footballers) who are already secure financially. They don't need the money. Motivation that the ordinary man would have, they don't have to the same level.

You don't see many Joe Soaps with decent / higher paying jobs here pack it in for a life in Saudi Arabia that often I would imagine. I certainly don't know of any.

The only people I've known to go out are teachers looking for work, or people who haven't secured the job / pay they wanted here.

It's not like people going to Oz or Canada for arguably better standards of life.

It's not hard to see how a footballer would have regrets after the reality sets in.

Just regular old greed really I think... Pique and Rubiales - the lad who got turfed out of the Spanish FA over the women's team scandal - negotiated a massive payoff for it, a hefty chunk of which went direct to them. Was just the final first, but unsurprisingly once that door opened even a bit it wasn't long before it got shoved wider. Think the Spanish league and clubs are all skint enough that they'll back anything that gets them more cash.

Nailed it. Leading up to the Qatar WC there was a lad on local radio here defending their treatment of foreign workers, claiming any negative stories coming out about Qatar was all propaganda from their neighbours and praising it as a great country to live and work in. His morals have been compromised by the fact that he moved there and is now far more successful in his field than if he had stayed in Ireland. A dream job, real wealth in the bank and newfound security would completely change most people's perspective. His life there is great which makes it easier to justify (read: ignore) or explain away the negatives of life and society there.

Footballers heading to these places already had their dream job, dream life and money in the bank before they went to the Middle East, so the most obvious positives for foreigners moving there has little effect on them. Simply adding an extra zero to their already large bank account isn't going to satisfy the mind as they are now learning.