Manchester United call to Saudi Arabia would highlight transfer strategy failings

It's just over six weeks until the January transfer window opens for business and once again all eyes will turn to Saudi Arabia to see how the Kingdom backs up its £700million summer spending spree.

If Saudi Pro League chief Michael Emenalo is to be believed, the flow of traffic from Europe to Saudi Arabia will be quieter in January, with the astonishing business in the summer setting clubs up for the whole season.

But it would be naive to believe that there will be no business done this winter and it might be that some clubs in Europe go cap in hand to Emenalo, the SPL's director of football, in the hope of offloading players they no longer want or need.

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The league's newly-minted status has been a lifeline for some clubs and Chelsea benefited in the summer, selling several cast-offs to the SPL to bring in transfer fees and get salaries off their ever-growing wage bill. There are plenty of clubs who will be hoping to field interest from the league this January, but according to Emenalo, the focus should now shift from individuals to facilities.

"I’m hoping (the January transfer window) is not very busy, because I think the job that was done has been quite interesting and aggressive, and most of the clubs, I believe, have what they need," he told the league's in-house media channel.

“And hopefully the attention will now turn to work within the training facilities to improve these players and to allow them time to adapt and perform. Now, whatever additional improvement that we need to do for any club, with time on our hands and preparation, we believe will be additions of the