Big signings and grand vision give edge to new Saudi Pro League season

Omar Abdulrahman and Ahmed Must are just two of the big names to have moved to the Saudi Pro League this summer. (AFP)

• Saudi Pro League vision is to be one of the top 10 leagues in the world by 2020.
• Clubs have splashed the cash in a bid to get their hands on the league trophy this year.

LONDON: Make no mistake, this is an important season for the Saudi Pro League, not just on the pitch, but off it as well.
From the 14 clubs that took part last campaign, there are now 16 vying to win the title, qualify for the AFC Champions League or perhaps just avoid relegation from a league that has plenty of ambition.
Off the pitch the target, set by authorities, is that the league will be one of the top 10 in the world by 2020 with bigger attendances and a higher international profile.
“At the moment, there are clearly many leagues around the world — particularly in Europe — that are more established than our league,” Luai Al-Subaiey, the General Secretary of the Saudi Arabia Football Federation (SAFF), told Arab News earlier this month. “But … the Saudi league has great potential.”
Just this week the General Sports Authority announced that the Saudi Pro League was the 19th most valuable in the world. That is partly due to teams being allowed to sign eight foreign players as opposed to six last season — all have done their best to fill that quota.
Al-Nassr, third last season, spent the most on bringing in Nigeria 
international Ahmed Musa for $18.6 million. The former Leicester City winger arrived in Riyadh to be greeted by hundreds of fans at the airport. The same was true of the other big signing of the summer as Omar Abdulrahman arrived in the capital to sign for champions Al-Hilal. 
The 26-year-old joins the champions for a season-long loan from the UAE’s Al-Ain, a deal that cost a reported $15 million, the second most expensive loan deal in football history.
Al-Subaiey believes that the foreign stars can only be a good thing for the league.
“Has Omar Abdulrahman added to Al-Hilal?” he asked. “Of course. For the fans, these players bring excitement, and for the clubs and their league, these players bring a higher profile and greater attention.”
Other internationals such as Andre Carrillo and Christian Ramos of Peru have joined Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr respectively, with both those clubs looking to make strong title challenges.
Al-Ahli will be out to have a say in the destination of the league trophy. The Jeddah club missed out on the league by a point and are one of six clubs, over a third of the league, to have a South American coach in charge.
Al-Ettifaq, Al-Fayah, Al-Nassr and Al-Wehda have done the same with Al-Ittihad hiring Ramon Diaz, the Argentine fired by Al-Hilal in February despite the team being top of the table. If Diaz can turn around Al-Ittihad’s fortunes after a disappointing ninth last season, it would be an amazing accomplishment.
Portuguese and Romanians are also well-represented in the dugouts. Saudi bosses are conspicuous by their absence. There have been concerns that something similar will happen in the teams with eight foreign players allowed, but at least new regulations stipulate that in the reduced squads of 28, five places must be reserved for locals aged 23 or under.
It is to be hoped that such rules will allow young talents such as Haroune Camara, who impressed at the Asian Games where Saudi Arabia reached the last eight, get plenty of playing time. The tournament showed that there is potential, as did the this summer’s World Cup.  
If these exciting foreign imports combine well with promising young local talents, then both on and off the pitch the Saudi Pro League could enjoy a great year.