Roberto Firmino is one of soccer’s most underrated stars. Even in his heydays, he couldn’t leave the shadows of the Egyptian superstar Mo Salah or Sadio Mane, who has lost his spark since joining Bayern Munich.
After his 8-year spell with the Merseyside giants, Roberto Firmino was quickly linked to a host of European super clubs, most notably Real Madrid, whose hands were forced to find a replacement for Karim Benzema. Benzema’s move to Saudi Arabia sent a shockwave across Europe, with many expecting him to spend at least one more year with the 14-time Champions League winners.
Roberto “Bobby” Firmino may join the growing list of European players to sign with a Saudi Arabian club in the next few days, as reported by Fabrizio Romano. But which of these Saudi clubs is Firmino likely to join?
Which Team in Saudi Wants Roberto Firmino?
Al Ahli is the Saudi Arabian team reportedly interested in signing Roberto Firmino. According to Fabrizio Romano, Al Ahli has scheduled medicals for the Brazilian forward while waiting for his decision.
If Firmino agrees to the deal, he could earn a bumper contract. It may not be as big as Cristiano Ronaldo’s contract at Al-Nasr or Karim Benzema’s at Al-Ittihad, but it will be big enough to make him one of the highest-paid players in the Saudi league.
Al Ahli also seems to be closing a deal with Chelsea’s Champions League-winning goalkeeper Edouard Mendy. If both players end up in their books, they will be playing with two Champions League winners in the Saudi Pro League next season. That’s a huge feat for a side that competed in the second tier of Saudi Arabia’s football last season.
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List of Players Who Moved to the Saudi Arabia Pro League in this Transfer Window
When Cristiano Ronaldo shockingly decided to leave European football for an adventure in the Middle East, he indirectly predicted that others might soon be joining him, bringing exposure to the Saudi Pro League. The list of players joining him in the Middle East has grown exponentially since the European football season ended.
Five-time Champions League and current Ballon d’Or holder Karim Benzema joined Al-Ittihad from Real Madrid a few weeks ago. N’golo Kante will also be playing from the middle of the park for Al-Ittihad next season. Wolves received a mega transfer fee of a reported $59 million for the transfer of Ruben Neves to Al-Hilal.
The likes of Hakim Ziyech, Kalidou Koulibaly, and Edouard Mendy have also been confirmed to play in the Saudi Pro League next season.
Should players reject lucrative proposals for Saudi clubs in favor of European leagues? Is it true that players are only moving to the Middle East for financial reasons? Tell us what you think in the comment section.
