TRANSFER MARKET
Does the Saudi Pro League have a limit on foreign players like in MLS?
The Saudi Pro League has been on the offensive recently, but is it all about to come to a standstill in the near future?
It seems that the pockets of those in charge of the spending in the Saudi Pro League really have no end. And if they do, money will be spent to make them even bigger. The latest name to move to the middle east from Europe is Kalidou Koulibaly. No it’s not, it’s Roberto Firmino. Or is it Marcelo Brozovic? Has anyone checked on Ferland Mendy?
In other words, it’s incredibly hard to keep up with the sheer number of top-level players making the leap to the KSA, with this summer window already acting as a turning point in how we see transfers, players’ careers and football in general. But could something stop them from the mission they are currently on? Is there a limit to foreign players in the league?
Saudi spending:
Is there a transfer spending limit in Saudi Arabia?
In MLS, only three players can be allowed to roam outside of the regular financial constraints. Known as ‘designated players’, they are not subject to the strict limits regarding player expenditure that all MLS clubs must follow. The rule was introduced in 2007, when a certain Mr. David Beckham joined LA Galaxy.
However, in Saudi Arabia, as you may have dared to imagine, there are no rules as to how much money any one club can spend. The huge fees being paid to players from Europe in order to entice them to the league are not subjected to any formal process or limitations like in MLS or Europe, where Financial Fair Play can catch up with any team after a 3 year period of spending. In Saudi Arabia, they can shop and come out looking like Julia Roberts from Pretty Woman with no repercussions.
Saudi Arabia does have a foreign player limit... for now
However, like all good things in life, there is a catch. There exists a limit as to how many foreign players any Saudi Pro League squad can have. In MLS, for example, 233 international roster slots are divided among the 29 clubs, meaning that one team can have more than 8 or less than 8, depending on how things fall. In the Saudi league, however, the limit was placed at 6 as of the 16/17 season, with it being raised to 8 in recent years.
So, although there are no limits to how deep one’s pockets can be in the KSA, there is, at least for now, a slight restriction from teams trying to buy entire squads. Todd Boehly, think again.