Marco Silva Mikel Arteta Aleksandar Mitrovic Saudi Arabia Arsenal Saudi Pro League as Marco Silva Mikel Arteta Aleksandar Mitrovic Saudi Arabia

Arteta wants Saudi transfer window to end same time as Europe’s

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Mikel Arteta (Photo by Daniel LEAL / AFP)Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has called for the Saudi Pro League transfer window to close in line with Europe’s – but refused to rule out selling players beyond September 1, reports irishexaminer.com.Some of football’s top names have made the move to Saudi Arabia this summer, as PIF investment in four of the country’s top clubs has allowed for a vast increase in transfer fees.Arsenal host Fulham in the Premier League today and, while the Gunners have not lost any of their squad to Saudi, their visitors will be without talismanic forward, Aleksandar Mitrovic, who moved to Al-Hilal last week.Head coach, Marco Silva, rejected overtures from the Gulf before the start of the new season, while winger Willian was also unsettled by transfer speculation.The Premier League window closes next Friday, but Saudi clubs will be able to sign and register new players until September 20, something Arteta believes needs to be addressed.Asked if the extra two and a half weeks to conclude business was fair, the Spaniard replied: “No, because it is a competitor now.

No, I think we have to change that.”Pushed on whether the Pro League deadline should fall in line with Europe, Arteta continued: “That is my opinion, yes.“It is another competitor and it brings other opportunities for players, for managers and for people that work in the industry to decide.“In the end, we are free to decide when clubs, players or whoever has to agree to something, you have to have the intention to go and find agreements, that is why there are contracts.“If people agree to go it is because someone agrees to go there but that someone agreed to sell him, so it goes two or three different ways.”No Arsenal players have headed to

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Midnight on Thursday, September 7, marked the end of the most memorable transfer window in the history of not just Saudi, but Arab and Asian football. In the space of just a few weeks the Saudi Pro League (SPL) jumped from being a regional competition on the periphery of the global sport to the single most discussed league in the world.
In this handout picture released by the Saudi Al-Hilal football club on August 15, 2023, Brazilian forward Neymar (L) poses for a picture with Hilal President Fahad bin Nafel in Paris. – Brazil forward Neymar has signed for Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal from Paris Saint-Germain, the clubs announced today, joining Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema as the latest big name lured to the oil-rich Gulf state. (Photo by – / Saudi Pro League / AFP)
MANCHESTER, England: After an outlay of $1 billion, Saudi Arabia’s transfer window shut on Thursday with the Kingdom having announced itself as a new powerhouse in global soccer. Leading target Mohamed Salah may not have joined Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Karim Benzema by moving to the lucrative Saudi Pro League, but it seems inevitable more stars will eventually be lured away from Europe’s biggest clubs. Liverpool last week reportedly rejected a bid worth 150 million pounds ($188 million) from Al-Ittihad for Salah and despite speculation a renewed offer would come before Thursday’s deadline, no deal was struck for the Egypt international. There is, however, little suggestion Saudi Arabia’s spectacular spending will end there as the country has sought to move its way into international sports, investing in recent years in golf, boxing, Formula One racing and tennis, as well as soccer. Based on reported fees, Saudi clubs paid just over $1 billion on players, which would place it behind only the English Premier League in terms of global spending during the window. Then there are the large salaries said to be on offer, with Ronaldo’s deal reportedly worth up to $200 million a year. Despite anticipation that Salah could be the latest superstar signing, the Saudi window ended relatively quietly.
Riyadh: Speculation over Mo Salah’s future at Liverpool continued Monday as the Saudi Arabian Football Federation and Roshn transfer deadline approached – despite Jurgen Klopp saying the Egyptian was not for sale.
Steve Clarke has assured Jack Hendry that moving to Saudi Arabia WON’T hinder his Scotland career.
Aleksandar Mitrovic says Al Hilal’s remarkable comeback victory in the Saudi “Clasico” showcased why he chose to move to the Saudi Pro League.

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