The Saudi Pro’s League strategy is quite clear and simple: sign the best players in the world to become one of the best professional football divisions. Last summer, fans of the people’s sport were stunned by the amount of A-class players that made the leap over to the Gulf State—Portuguese legend Cristiano Ronaldo and Brazilian star Neymar are among those who inked an unexpected deal with local clubs during the last summer transfer window. And while this year, things seem to have slowed down, a recent rumor suggesting that another high-profile transfer could be on the horizon is reigniting the excitement.
According to several dedicated news agencies, including American cable sports channel ESPN and Qatari sports network BeIn, recent UEFA Champions League winner Vini Jr. could be the latest star athlete to make his way to the Arab peninsula. From what has been reported, the 24-year-old Real Madrid midfielder may make a shocking move to Al Ahli, joining the likes of Algerian footballer Riyadh Mahrez, ex-Liverpool striker Roberto Firminho, as well as former Chelsea FC goalie, Edouard Mendy.
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Though no official offer has been extended yet, sources suggest that the Saudi club is prepared to offer the Merengue player a staggering $1.1 billion over five years for his services. The alleged offered sum would be more than enough to convince most players, but Vini Jr. reportedly remains steadfast in his commitment to his current club and prefers to play in a more competitive league for the time being. That said, who knows whether or not, in a few years’ time, he could reconsider and explore such a lucrative offer once he’s past his peak.
Last year, Al-Hilal extended a comparable offer to 2022 FIFA World Cup finalist Kylian Mbappé, with a one-year deal worth approximately $24 per second. Mbappé, who just transferred from Paris Saint-Germain to Real Madrid a few weeks ago, had declined the offer for similar reasons as Vini, choosing instead to focus on winning one of the few trophies still missing from his collection: the UEFA Champions League.
