In this summer transfer market session, Saudi Arabia has shocked the world of football by bringing many champions and talented players to the Saudi Pro League. Cristiano Ronaldo has been the absolute pioneer of the movement, which in a few months has seen some of the greatest footballers in the world land in the Middle East.
Bwin has compiled the most expensive starting formation in the Saudi Pro League on a role-by-role basis, with the eleven most expensive players in the competition.
In goal we find Edouard Mendy, the French goalkeeper who Al-Ahli bought from Chelsea for 18.5 million euros. A young goalkeeper who, however, has already gained important experience in the Premier League and in Europe, a modern goalkeeper who will surely be one of the fundamental pivots of the new club.
The first man for the three-man defense is the former Roma player, Roger Ibañez, bought from Al-Ahli for 30 million euros. The defender has already scored his first goal in the Arab league.
Kalidou Koulibaly, one of the best defenders in the world, has earned the attention of Al-Hilal, who invested 23 million to get him away from Chelsea. The player left London to play in Saudi Arabia at the age of 32. The last man in the three-man defense is Ghislain Konan, who is a left full-back and has impressed well at the Stade de Reims.
Al-Nassr has disbursed 9 million euros into the coffers of the French club for a 27-year-old player capable of attacking his opponent and putting himself forward.
In a midfield made up of four players, the name of Malcom stands out, who is a right winger but also adapts to other roles on the pitch. The 26-year-old Brazilian was taken from Al-Hilal by Zenit St. Petersburg for a sum of 60 million euros. Rúben Neves, the Portuguese midfielder, who went to Al Hilal from Wolverhampton for 55 million euros. Another footballer who comes from the Premier League is the Liverpool midfielder Fabinho, bought from Al-Ittihād for 46.7 million euros. Another midfielder who ended up in Saudi Arabia still in the ranks of Al Hilal is the former Lazio player, Sergej Milinković-Savić, coveted by Inter and Juventus but not only; for 40 million euros the Serbian went to play in Saudi pro league.
In the attack trident here is the most expensive signing of the Arab summer, with the former PSG striker, Neymar, who a few days ago became a new Al-Hilal player for 90 million euros. The player will get 100 million euros per season plus a series of luxury goods, such as a villa with 25 rooms and a swimming pool, luxury cars and 500 thousand euros for each post on social media that will advertise the Saudi championship. In attack there is plenty of choice, but Karim Benzema stands out. He is not the most expensive player but his sheer talent and the 200 million euros a year that his new club, Al Ittihad, will give him, allow him to enter the starting eleven by right. Cristiano Ronaldo and Marcelo Brozovic’s Al-Nassr, just to name a few, also bought Sadio Mané from Bayern Munich, who arrived in Saudi Arabia for 30 million euros.
Saudi pro League is a candidate to be one of the most interesting leagues in the world.
