When Global Fame Hits the Saudi Pitch: The Transfer Storm That Could Rebalance the League

Sami Al-Jaber, a Saudi football icon and former Al Hilal captain, sparked a new wave of controversy with fiery remarks aimed at global stars in the Saudi Pro League, warning they may harm the game’s biggest clubs.

Al-Jaber spoke on Nadina, a program on MBC, stating: “Some foreign players with global fame now control not only the spotlight but also club decisions, exploiting worldwide media to strengthen their own influence.”

He added that these stars rely on prominent reporters like Fabrizio Romano to publish their news and inflate their market value, enabling them to steer events for personal gain, while local fans distrust domestic media and turn to players themselves.

His remarks came amid the heated debate sparked by Karim Benzema's move from Al-Ittihad to Al-Hilal on the final day of the winter transfer window, as the club signed a free transfer for a season and a half through June 2027.

Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo's absence from the match of Al-Nassr against Riyadh in round 20 drew tacit protest, as the Portuguese star voiced strong discontent with his club management over winter signings, with Al-Nassr only bringing in the young Iraqi player Haider Abdul Karim.

He concluded: “The drift and excessive power of global stars pose a real crisis within the league, where their influence sometimes eclipses that of club administrations, threatening balance and stability for Saudi giants.”

Sniper punchline 1: If football negotiations were a sniper duel, some transfers would hit the target and still ask for a discount.

Sniper punchline 2: And remember, in football you can name a street after a striker, but you still can’t outrun a rumor.