By joining Al-Ittihad, Karim Benzema opened the door to other major transfers to Saudi Arabia, which puts European football at risk.
European football is in panic. The colossal investments made by Saudi Arabia in the transfer window are upsetting the economic balance of football. The historical countries of football, such as England, Spain or France, now feel threatened by this new competition with practically unlimited means. And the threat is real.
“I take this very seriously, thus entrusted Bo Svensson, the coach of Mainz, in the columns of Bild. It’s different from what was happening at the time with China. Only three foreigners were allowed to play per club, and the big names weren’t going to China either. »
The Swedish coach observes another change. From now on, it is no longer just old glories at the end of their careers who give in to the Saudi sirens, to afford a last big check before retirement. It is now major players from the European championships who are deserting the continent. And the designated culprit in this story is Karim Benzema.
After Benzema, Mané…
“For me, the decisive transfer to Saudi Arabia was not Ronaldo at 38, but Benzema, who has just played in the semi-finals of the Champions League, believes Bo Svensson. It could be an open door for others. When you see the names, the number of players going there and the money available, even the Premier League can’t keep up. I can’t wait to see how this will turn out. »
With Benzema, it is simply the Ballon d’Or 2022 who, a few months later, decided to leave Europe. The Frenchman was followed by his Ballon d’Or runner-up, Sadio Mané, who has just been transferred from Bayern to Al-Nassr. By adding Fabinho and Riyad Mahrez, these are four members of the Top 15 of the Ballon d’Or 2022 who have signed in Saudi Arabia, as noted by journalist Arnaud Ramsay on Twitter. These are clearly players who still had the level to weigh in the Champions League, the toughest competition on the planet. But they won’t dispute it again.
