Saudi soccer chief addresses Salah, Vinícius Jr. rumors as league doubles down on transfer plans

Saudi Arabia is continuing its aggressive push to transform its domestic soccer league into a global powerhouse.

While the kingdom has scaled back spending in some other sports, investment in soccer is not only continuing but accelerating. The long-term strategy tied to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 project remains firmly in place, and Saudi officials believe the results are already becoming visible.

One recent example is Al Ahli winning back-to-back AFC Champions League titles, reinforcing the league’s growing influence across Asia.

Saudi Pro League CEO Omar Mugharbel laid out the competition’s roadmap for the next three years during a media appearance with Saudi reporters.

“We are pleased to announce the second phase of the recruitment program, which builds on what we have already achieved and is based on five key principles,” Mugharbel said. “The program will continue through 2030, and recruitment criteria will be based on sporting performance, commercial value and audience metrics from the past three years.”

Lewandowski, Salah and Vinícius to Saudi Arabia?

Asked about potential blockbuster arrivals involving stars such as Robert Lewandowski, Mohamed Salah and even Vinícius Jr., Mugharbel made clear that Saudi Arabia’s ambitions remain focused on elite players.

“The program focuses only on attracting elite players and does not include recruiting elite coaches,” he said. “The project will continue through 2030.”

He also explained why financial details surrounding negotiations are rarely made public.

“Financial figures will not be disclosed in order to protect clubs, because revealing them weakens their negotiating position,” Mugharbel said. “The arrival of star players is not imposed on clubs through this program. It depends on sporting needs and logic.”

League denies directing transfers

Mugharbel also addressed criticism and controversy surrounding the Saudi Pro League’s transfer strategy in recent months.

“The league does not intervene in identifying players, assigning them to clubs or conducting negotiations with players and agents,” he said. “The league’s role is only consultative and supportive.”

Saudi Arabia began the second phase of its ambitious soccer expansion project several months ago. After the Public Investment Fund, known as PIF, helped strengthen the country’s biggest clubs, the next step involved attracting private investment.

Al Hilal is now owned by Prince Alwaleed bin Talal and his company, Kingdom Holding Company, and Saudi officials say the broader plan is advancing rapidly.

Saudi officials point to rapid growth

“Some people questioned whether this experiment would succeed,” Mugharbel said. “The current Saudi league standings demonstrate the high level of competitiveness.”

“In 2023, the league launched an ambitious transformation process. The goal was to become one of the world’s leading leagues while creating development opportunities for both Saudi and foreign talent.”

“We are seeking the maximum return on investment from distributed budgets, and we are working to raise standards even further in the coming years.”

Saudi officials also highlighted the growing impact of their clubs in continental competitions.

“The effect of competitive development is not limited to the domestic league,” Mugharbel said. “Al Shabab reached the Gulf Club Champions Cup final, Al Nassr advanced in AFC competition, and Al Ahli won the AFC Champions League title.”

The league’s international reach is also expanding rapidly.

“We have 45 broadcast agreements around the world,” Mugharbel said. “We’ve tried to think differently, reaching some countries through YouTube channels and content creators.”

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