Opinion: Time for Premier League clubs to wake up to Saudi threat

Posted Friday, July 14, 2023 by Caughtoffside.com

If there was any doubt as to the threat posed by the Saudi Pro League to the Premier League and its elite European counterparts, the reality has suddenly dawned.

Whilst those stakeholders who continually fawn over the English top-flight have stood still, the Saudi's have pulled the rug from underneath them.

The supposed 'best league in the world' now runs the very serious risk of being usurped by one that's not even ranked in the top 33 on the planet according to Global Football Rankings.

As with most things of course, money talks.

Jordan Henderson appears to be the latest star to be persuaded to move to the Middle East, and the Liverpool captain, like those before him, will be conveniently looking past human rights issues and potential sports washing thanks to the multi-million pound salary he'll be receiving.

In many respects you can't blame players for working somewhere that will pay them triple or even quadruple their current wages, however, it's not as if any players need the money.

In essence it's just a gold rush at this stage. A cash grab.

No player seemingly wants to be left behind with one or two notable exceptions.

This won't be a one-season wonder from the Saudi Pro League either, and clubs from the Premier League, Ligue Un, Bundesliga, Serie A and La Liga have got to up their game in terms of what they can offer players.

The Saudi's are only scratching the surface at present, and with mostly more experienced pros. If Europe's best start being targeted, then the problems will really begin.

Even if the Premier League powers that be start to devise ways to combat the current status quo, it already looks like it's too little, too late.