Saudi Pro League Transfers: Who Moved This Summer?
- NASA's images of Sakaka highlighted its solar energy project, a $320 million investment aimed at job creation.
- The Saudi Pro League has seen nearly $1 billion spent on foreign players in 2023, with significant transfers like Brad Young to Al Orobah.
- The league's current challenges in player movement may lead to increased activity in future transfer windows.
In December 2020, NASA released images of Sakaka, a city in Saudi Arabia, showcasing its emerging renewable energy industry, particularly a solar panel project worth $320 million. This initiative, announced in 2018, aimed to create 400 jobs in the Al Jouf region. The Saudi Pro League has seen significant investment, with the Public Investment Fund owning four major teams and spending nearly $1 billion on foreign players in 2023. Among the notable transfers was Brad Young, who moved from The New Saints to Al Orobah for $250,000. Al Orobah, newly promoted, released all its foreign players to prepare for the top flight and signed ten new foreign players, including Kurt Zouma and Johann Berg Gudmundsson. The league's spending patterns indicate a shift, as many clubs are already filled with foreign talent, leading to challenges in offloading players. The anticipation for future spending remains, particularly in 2026 when many contracts will expire, suggesting a potential resurgence in player movement. The evolving landscape of the Saudi Pro League reflects broader ambitions within the country, including hosting the 2034 World Cup, which could further influence the football market in the region.