The Saudi revolution in football. One billion ready for shopping in Europe: what is Saudi's goal

Milan, 22 June 2023 – The world of football is being hit the Saudi revolution. On the other hand, Arabia is no longer hiding and the landing of Sandro Tonali at Newcastle it is only the latest show of strength of the sovereign fund Pif, owner of the Premier League club and the major clubs of the Wahhabi kingdom.

The mission of the crown prince Mohammed bin salman is clear: the country must become one landmark on the international football map. The organization of 2030 FIBA WC it is the final goal and Saudi Arabia is willing to do anything to not let it slip away.

In 2021 the Pif fund, with a assets worth 430 billion euros, took over Newcastle, transforming the Northern England club into his European 'outpost'. It is aimed at win the Premier League within 5 years and in the meantime it has already arrived qualification for the Champions League. Investments of £210m brought in Kieran Trippier, Chris Wood, Bruno Guimaraes, Dan Burn and Matt Targett in January, and Nick Pope, Sven Botman and Alexander Isak last summer.

But the Pif fund is also on the attack at home, where it has taken over the four main clubs (Al Hilal, Al Ahli, Al Nassr and Al Ittihad). And the recruitment campaign of stars for the Saudi Pro League recorded a sensational acceleration after the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo at Al Nassr. Not only players at the end of their careers, but also champions still on the crest of a wave like the attacker Karim Benzema and the midfielder N'Golo Kanté who left Real Madrid and Chelsea and signed for the new champions Al Ittihad of Jeddah.

Benzema and Kanté could pave the way for other illustrious arrivals. A kind of 'dream team' with excellent names of the caliber of Marcelo Brozovic, Hugo Lloris, Sergio Ramos, Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets, Roberto Firmino, Kalidou Koulibaly, Edouard Mendy, Hakim Ziyech and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. "If great players and big names come, young and 'old', They are welcome - said Ronaldo in a recent interview -. If it happens the championship will improve. Age doesn't matter."

The next season, which will start on August 11 and end in May, could thus have many faces known to the international public. The project led by the English CEO of the Saudi Pro League, Gary Cook, former Nike manager, is not so much aiming to create another Premier League, but he wants to grow it Saudi influence in football making the country "a destination for the best talent". There would already be a on the table billion dollars, clearly with the support of Pif, to hire a twenty foreign champions. In short, shopping in Europe seems to have just begun...