Saudi Arabia is set to launch a fresh raid on world football – and will scour the planet for some of its best young talent.
Mail Sport understands that cash-rich Pro League clubs are expected to increase the number of overseas players permitted in the competition from eight to 10 in the summer.
However, such a rise is likely to come with an age-restriction rule, which will see government-funded outfits switch their attentions to the best players at academies in Europe, South America and beyond.
It is thought the move, which has the potential to cause major headaches for other leagues across the world. was discussed recently and will be revisited at the end of the forthcoming season.
After a £700m spree that brought the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Karim Benzema to the Kingdom, a change of direction is now on the cards.
Saudi Arabia have enticed some of the world’s biggest names over the past 12 months, including Cristiano Ronaldo (right) and Karim Benzema (left)
Neymar also moved to the Middle East but he is currently sidelined due to injury
Jordan Henderson has struggled to settle, but Saudi Arabia still plan to spend big over the coming months on the world’s best young talent
Doubts over the league’s prospects surfaced after it emerged that England midfielder Jordan Henderson wants to leave former Liverpool team-mate Steven Gerrard’s Al-Ettifaq, along with reports that Benzema is also unsettled.
However, Pro League vice chairman and interim CEO Saad Allazeez sent out a defiant note and said officials were ‘more than satisfied’ with the competition’s progress.
‘Saudi is a footballing nation and our new strategy, which was introduced at the start of this season, is all about long-term sustainable growth with the aim of becoming one of the top leagues in the world,’ he told Mail Sport.
‘We are more than satisfied with what has been achieved in the first five months. Everything is trending in the right direction. We’re in a very healthy position. However, we know football never stops and this is only the first step on a long journey ahead.’