The eyes of global football fans are once again turning to the Saudi capital, Riyadh, which has become a major transfer market hub, with the latest reports indicating that three world-class stars are close to joining the Saudi Professional League. This development comes after the arrival of prominent agents in Riyadh, a move that confirms the continued ambition of Saudi football to attract top international talent.
According to informed sources, TFM Agency, represented by Thiago Freitas and responsible for managing the affairs of Brazilian star Vinicius Junior, has begun negotiations with Saudi clubs. The list of players being considered for transfer includes Gabriel Martinelli of Arsenal, Lucas Paquetá of West Ham United, and the young talent Malick Fofana . Although Freitas previously confirmed that Vinicius Junior has no intention of leaving Real Madrid, his agency's presence in Riyadh opens the door for the transfer of other high-profile players.
General context: A revolution in the Saudi transfer market
These moves are no longer surprising; rather, they are an extension of a clear strategy that began with the arrival of Portuguese legend Cristiano Ronaldo at Al-Nassr in early 2023, a deal that opened the floodgates to a wave of international stars. In the summer of 2023, the Saudi Professional League witnessed a historic surge with the addition of names like Neymar, Karim Benzema, Sadio Mane, N'Golo Kante, and Riyad Mahrez, thanks to the massive support from the Public Investment Fund, which aims to make the Saudi league one of the top 10 leagues in the world by 2030.
The importance of potential deals and their expected impact
Completing deals of this magnitude will have a multi-dimensional impact:
- At the local level: It will increase the intensity of competition between major clubs such as Al-Hilal, Al-Nasr, Al-Ittihad and Al-Ahli, and raise the technical quality of matches, which will attract more fans to the stadiums and increase television viewership.
- At the regional level: It enhances the status of the Roshan League as the strongest league in the Middle East and Asia, and makes the competition in the AFC Champions League more fierce, thus raising the level of the tournament as a whole.
- At the international level: This reinforces the image of the Saudi League as an attractive destination for the world's best players, not only at the end of their careers but also for stars at the peak of their powers like Martinelli and Paqueta. This enhances the league's brand value, increases global broadcasting rights revenue, and serves the broader goals of Saudi Vision 2030 to make sports a vital economic and entertainment sector.
While Saudi clubs are looking to strengthen their ranks in preparation for the upcoming season, which includes local and continental challenges, the arrival of these stars' agents in Riyadh remains conclusive proof that the train of international deals in the Saudi Professional League will not stop, and that another hot summer awaits Saudi football fans.
