The Saudi Pro League was one of the stories of the summer transfer window after it enticed the services of some of Europe’s most recognisable players.
And hours before the January window opened, Cristiano Ronaldo, the league’s most prominent name, insisted that the Saudi Pro League was set to attract several more big names.
Speaking to Saudi broadcaster SSC Sport, Ronaldo said: “I'm happy because when I made the decision to come here nobody believed what I said. But that is the past. It doesn't matter anymore, the most important is that the league has grown and that players want to come because they know the league is competitive and the whole world is watching now.”
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However, the opposite seems to be happening. This month alone Karim Benzema has been linked with a return to Europe, ex-Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte has made claims of widespread player discontent and Jordan Henderson has departed Al-Ettifaq months after announcing a commitment to promote the burgeoning league.
Here are five reasons why the Saudi Pro League’s January transfer window may not be living up to Ronaldo’s expectations.
Poor crowds
While it has attracted superstar talent, the Saudi Pro League has an issue of low attendances when compared to Europe’s ‘big five leagues’.
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On average, 8.345 fans have attended a Saudi Pro League match this season, with some games accumulating fewer than 1,000 supporters.
On October 22, Henderson’s Al-Ettifaq lost 1-0 to Al-Riyadh in front of just 696 supporters. Several other games on the same weekend failed to break the 1,000 mark.
Lack of competitiveness
In the summer Saudi Arabia’s public investment fund purchased the nation’s four biggest clubs, Al Nassr, Al Hilal, Al Ittihad, and Al Ahli, with three of those sides occupying the top four positions in this season’s standings.
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This multi-club takeover has already triggered a gulf between the league’s best and worst clubs, which is only set to widen.
Of course, a lack of competitiveness between the best and worst is an accusation you could put to many of the world’s biggest leagues, including the Premier League.
However, a lack of competition in a growing division without a pre-existing global audiance is unlikely to be an enticing selling point.
Players failing to properly acclimatise
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As mentioned, Henderson has already departed the Saudi Pro League, having clearly never settled in the Gulf state.
Moreover, Laporte admitted it has proven difficult to adapt to his new surroundings in an interview with Spanish newspaper AS.
“It is a big change compared to Europe, but in the end, it is all about adaptation,” said the Spain international. “They have not made it easy for us. In fact, there are many players that are discontented.
“We are working on it every day, negotiating so to speak, and to see if it improves a little because this is something new for them too, having European players who already have a long career. Maybe they are not used to this and have to adapt to a little more seriousness.”
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Laporte continued: “Many of us have also come here not only for football.
“Many of us are happy with that, but I am also looking for something beyond that is not the economic part and such. In terms of quality of life, I expected something different because in the end here you spend three hours a day in the car. Riyadh is a waste of traffic, of time wasted in the car.”
Star players failing to make an impact
Some of the Saudi Pro League’s best players have struggled to make an impact, either due to bad form or injury.
The most notable example is Neymar Jr, who joined Al Hilal in the summer only to tear his ACL and meniscus while on international duty with Brazil in October. The Brazilian star will likely be sidelined until the start of next season.
Elsewhere, while Ronaldo and Aleksandar Mitrovic have kept their side of the bargain by scoring a combined 37 goals this season, several other of the league’s most notable stars - Sadio Mane, Riyad Mahrez, Roberto Firmino - aren’t quite as electric as in the past.
Inability to attract players at their peak
That brings us to our final point - the Saudi Pro League has struggled to attract players at their peak.
Many of the summer’s incoming were star names looking to wind down their careers and receive Gulf state wages while doing so.
Gabri Veiga, a 21-year-old Spain international, caused a media storm in the summer by turning down a transfer to Napoli for the Saudi Pro League, further proving that Saudi Arabia is widely considered a place suited for older players.
Featured Image Credit: GettyTopics: Football, Saudi Arabia, Saudi Pro League, Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Jordan Henderson, Aymeric Laporte