Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher, 45, has voiced his concerns about oil money targeting soccer players around the world.
Earlier this year, Saudi Arabia made a splash by signing Cristiano Ronaldo (38-Al Nasr). Ronaldo was just the beginning. Once the European season ended, the lure of oil money began in earnest.
Last year’s Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema (35-Al Ittihad) ended his Real Madrid career and headed to Saudi Arabia. N’Golo Kante (32, Al Ittihad), once the best defensive midfielder in Europe and a World Cup winner, also joined Benzema.
Saudi Arabia’s oil money is not just for players in their twilight years. It was also directed at players in their 20s and in their prime. Hwang Hee-chan (27, Wolverhampton)’s teammate Nabil Neves (26), as well as Kalidou Koulibaly (32), Hakim Ziyech (30), and Romelu Lukaku (30), are among those who have had offers from the Saudis.
Recently, Son Heung-min (31, Tottenham Hotspur) has also been linked to a move to Saudi Arabia. Global sports media outlet ESPN reported that “Al Ittihad have offered a salary of 30 million euros (about 42.7 billion won) per season for four years”.
However, Son dismissed the offer, saying, “I’m not ready for the Saudi league yet,” adding, “I like the Premier League and I think I still have a lot of work to do.” “Didn’t (Ki) Sung-yong’s brother once say, ‘The captain of the Korean national team doesn’t go to China’?” he asked, adding, “For me, it’s all about pride and playing in my favorite league.”
So why is Saudi Arabia bringing together its superstars? The kingdom wants to significantly increase the size and market value of its league. It’s part of Vision 2030, an economic and social reform project that aims to reduce the share of the oil industry in the country’s economy.
The Saudi oil money offensive continues. It recently reached out to Bernardo Silva, 29, one of Manchester City’s traveling stars. When an offer was made to Silva, who is on the rise, Carragher became concerned.
“Silva is in his prime and has been one of the 토토사이트 best players in Europe for the last five years,” Carragher said on social media. “I wasn’t worried about the Saudi league signing a player in his 30s,” he said, “I was worried when they tried to sign Neves, but when you go to Silva, it’s a game changer.”
“The Saudis have taken over golf, boxing, etc. and now they’re going after soccer,” he said, adding, “Sportswashing has to stop.” Sportswashing is when a country or organization uses sportsmanship and competition to launder a negative reputation.
In addition to Carragher, former Manchester United player Gary Neville, 48, also expressed his doubts, saying, “We need to check the appropriateness of the Saudi transfer.”