A Saudi Pro League (SPL) chief has revealed the shock figure the top clubs in the division paid to have the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar to join them.
Check Out: Ex-Man City Star Suing Club Over Unpaid Wages
Public Investment Fund-owned Al Ahli, Al Ittihad, Al Hilal and Al Nassr made a massive splash in the transfer market this past off-season as they managed to lure some massive football stars to their respective homes.
The likes of Ronaldo, Neymar, Karim Benzema, Riyad Mahrez and N'Golo Kante all headed to the Middle East as Saudi Arabia looks to shine as bright a light on their football before they host the 2034 FIFA World Cup, as many expect.
It is for this reason that the nation's executives are willing to do whatever it takes to make their football prominent on the world stage as they prepare for the global showpiece.
That sentiment is clear following recent comments by the SPL's vice-president Saad Allazeez, in which he revealed the shock amount the aforementioned clubs actually paid for their superstars.
"It is the (state) programme which sponsored the agreement (with Ronaldo)," the league chief told Rotana Khalijiya radio.
"The recruitment programme paid the entire amount for the Cristiano Ronaldo transfer. Al Nassr did not pay a cent. The transfer was from the start for Al Nassr.
"Neymar's transfer was taken care of by the recruitment programme, and Al Hilal did not pay a single cent."
He did, however, add that there were some acquisitions in the past transfer window that the clubs did pay for from their own pocket.
Check Out: 6 Top Stars Whose Contracts Expire In 2024
"There are players whose contracts were purchased outside the polarisation project, such as Yassine Bounou, the goalkeeper of Al Hilal, as well as the Spaniard [Aymeric] Laporte, the player of Al Nassr," he concluded.
You must be SIGNED IN to read and post comments.
WATCH VIDEO:
