Wolves have agreed a fee for Ruben Neves to Saudi Arabia. He's 26 so not exactly at the end of his career

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65945030

Wonder how long before they start to attract top players who are in their prime?
Are we about to see a re-alignment in world football in the next few years?

I bet they won't have to bother about FFP in Saudi, so anything's possible. Unfortunately money talks more than anything else these days in sport.

Havent read any of the detail but on the face of it what a sad state of affairs when a 26 year old player turns down the likes of Barcelona to go to Saudi Arabia.

They do seem to be broadening their reach this summer - recruiting current internationals

Wonder if it could be an option for Wout

taio wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 18, 2023 4:33 pm

Havent read any of the detail but on the face of it what a sad state of affairs when a 26 year old player turns down the likes of Barcelona to go to Saudi Arabia.

Barcelona can't afford the transfer fee because of FFP.

EarbyClaret wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 18, 2023 4:37 pm

They do seem to be broadening their reach this summer - recruiting current internationals

Wonder if it could be an option for Wout

Think they want players that'll attract spectators

Has he turned down Barcelona? From what I've read he agreed terms with them months ago but has been waiting for Barca to shift some players so they can make a bid.

I don't knock Neves, or any player, going to Saudi. An offer like that and it'd take me less than a second to say yes.

As for the longevity of this in Saudi, who knows? We said similar about the Chinese Super League. I personally would love another league or two in different countries rising up to contend with the Premier League. Would make it more interesting. And that only happens with money.

Ziggy Stardust wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 18, 2023 4:38 pm

Barcelona can't afford the transfer fee because of FFP.

Still highly questionable. This is what he said not long ago:

"Let's see what's going to happen. I always say the same thing, I truly love to be here. But I never hide that I want to play Champions League football," he said.

"In football you need to go for your main goals and that will be a massive decision for me and my family."

Main goal in the end is presumably money.

Pretty sure he's set for life already

Saudi Arabia managed to buy the sport of Golf now they are turning their attention to Football.

Wrote this on the Benzema thread a few weeks ago. Relates to all the big signings we're seeing in Saudi Arabia recently.
.

This is part of the long game for Saudi Arabia. It isn't so much about what Benzema brings to the pitch.

He's been offered an ambassadorial role for their bid for the 2030 World Cup. Ronaldo playing there currently with the same sort of arrangement. Messi is already an ambassador, which has caused problems at Qatari-owned PSG.

With Messi leaving France soon, we may see three of the most high profile players on the planet not only playing in Saudi Arabia but providing their significant clout to a World Cup bid.

Saudi Arabia (joint bid with Egypt and Greece) already have the votes from a bulk of, if not all, football federations in Africa. It's going to be tough for the other bids to compete.

Argentina/Uruguay/Chile (on the anniversary of the first World Cup, held in and won by Uruguay) and Spain/Portugal/Morocco/Ukraine.

Half of the Saudi league clubs recently got taken over by the people who own Newcastle, so they all have plenty of money to spend.

What a waste!

Complete and utter waste man

They're following the money and tbh we'd do the same

Oscar admitted as much when he went to China, he was never going to get the chance to earn that much again so off he went.

Footballers are retired for a long time.

GodIsADeeJay81 wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 18, 2023 5:58 pm

They're following the money and tbh we'd do the same

Oscar admitted as much when he went to China, he was never going to get the chance to earn that much again so off he went.

Footballers are retired for a long time.

Exactly

GodIsADeeJay81 wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 18, 2023 5:58 pm

They're following the money and tbh we'd do the same

Oscar admitted as much when he went to China, he was never going to get the chance to earn that much again so off he went.

Footballers are retired for a long time.

I wouldn't and many others wouldn't either at 26 years of age. I can understand older players following the money.

GodIsADeeJay81 wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 18, 2023 5:58 pm

They're following the money and tbh we'd do the same

Oscar admitted as much when he went to China, he was never going to get the chance to earn that much again so off he went.

Footballers are retired for a long time.

Speak for yourself

claretburns wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 18, 2023 5:12 pm

Half of the Saudi league clubs recently got taken over by the people who own Newcastle, so they all have plenty of money to spend.

it's a good way for the likes of Newcastle to get around FFP

taio wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 18, 2023 6:01 pm

I wouldn't and many others wouldn't either at 26 years of age. I can understand older players following the money.

You can’t say that with certainty because you aren’t privy to what he’s been offered, for all any of us know he might be earning sh1tloads over there, you have to question the appeal to fully understand the reasoning.

Jakubclaret wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 18, 2023 6:08 pm

You can’t say that with certainty because you aren’t privy to what he’s been offered, for all any of us know he might be earning sh1tloads over there, you have to question the appeal to fully understand the reasoning.

I've no doubt that he's been offered sh1tloads of money and my view factors that in and is unchanged.

taio wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 18, 2023 6:09 pm

I've no doubt that he's been offered sh1tloads of money and my view factors that in and is unchanged.

The sunny climes of the West Midlands unbeatable.

Be plenty going there soon same as china
Make some big bucks then go elsewhere

Jakubclaret wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 18, 2023 6:11 pm

The sunny climes of the West Midlands unbeatable.

He could've gone elsewhere

Jakubclaret wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 18, 2023 6:08 pm

You can’t say that with certainty because you aren’t privy to what he’s been offered, for all any of us know he might be earning sh1tloads over there, you have to question the appeal to fully understand the reasoning.

Jakub,

One week you were claiming you were a royalist, then a communist, then anti royals - always harping on about your values and now you’re saying you’d take a few quid off a totalitarian theocratic shithole just because


‘A man that will stand for nothing will fall for anything’

Jakubclaret wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 18, 2023 6:11 pm

The sunny climes of the West Midlands unbeatable.

Riyadh is hardly a desirable place to live. Strict laws even for Saudi Arabia, oppressive heat and humidity etc.

CoolClaret wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 18, 2023 6:02 pm

Speak for yourself

Oscar got £600k a week to go to China.

Any sane person would take that

This one is quite a shift though because they've now started to pay transfer fee's which they not done in the past.

GodIsADeeJay81 wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 18, 2023 6:16 pm

Oscar got £600k a week to go to China.

Any sane person would take that

Lots of younger players wouldn't because many more would've moved to China or Saudi Arabia already.

CoolClaret wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 18, 2023 6:15 pm

Jakub,

One week you were claiming you were a royalist, then a communist, then anti royals - always harping on about your values and now you’re saying you’d take a few quid off a totalitarian theocratic shithole just because


‘A man that will stand for nothing will fall for anything’

We are all speculating/surmising on the reasoning, but we can be reasonably certain on a couple of things - it's going to be better weather than the UK & he will financially be better off, anything else only he knows.

taio wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 18, 2023 6:19 pm

Lots of younger players wouldn't because many more would've moved to China or Saudi Arabia already.

Rumours are Neves is being offered 10x the wages he was on at Wolves, which is £50k a week at present
£2 million a month ...

These guys have got to make a living must be tough in the current climate surviving on an English Premier League weekly wage!

GodIsADeeJay81 wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 18, 2023 6:22 pm

Rumours are Neves is being offered 10x the wages he was on at Wolves, which is £50k a week at present
£2 million a month ...

I'm sure that's highly likely in broad terms.

CoolClaret wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 18, 2023 6:15 pm

Jakub,

One week you were claiming you were a royalist, then a communist, then anti royals - always harping on about your values and now you’re saying you’d take a few quid off a totalitarian theocratic shithole just because


‘A man that will stand for nothing will fall for anything’

Do as I say not as I do

Saudi are basically trying to buy their way into any sport either at home or abroad
They hope they will then be seen by any sports fans (and thereafter, corporate sponsors) as good guys despite their appalling human rights record
Golf, Football, Boxing, Athletics and F1 are already happy to take their money
Many others will follow with no doubt NBA, American Football and American Baseball high on their wish list
Do Newcastle fans have any qualms about their owners ?
It's crazy that some footballers deemed not good enough for major leagues will be amongst the highest paid in the world
Neves is the start of the younger breed who may decide to chase the money

Do FIFA offer any kind of clout in terms of keeping things fair on the world stage? So English clubs supposedly stick to the fair play rules, is there anything to stop these states from mopping up the best players? I'm guessing not, but if I was a wag no way would I be wanting to go to such a country as Saudi.

Jellybean wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 18, 2023 7:12 pm

Do FIFA offer any kind of clout in terms of keeping things fair on the world stage? So English clubs supposedly stick to the fair play rules, is there anything to stop these states from mopping up the best players? I'm guessing not, but if I was a wag no way would I be wanting to go to such a country as Saudi.

Infantino is already on "good terms" with the Saudis I think, spends a fair amount of time in the area

GodIsADeeJay81 wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 18, 2023 6:16 pm

Oscar got £600k a week to go to China.

Any sane person would take that

There’s more to life than money- especially when you’re already earning 2 million quid a month!

GodIsADeeJay81 wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 18, 2023 5:58 pm

They're following the money and tbh we'd do the same

Why do people generalise like this?

I actually feel sorry for people who fall for the outdated idea that filling your pockets is everybody's overriding priority in life.

Winstonswhite wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 18, 2023 7:59 pm

There’s more to life than money- especially when you’re already earning 2 million quid a month!

I mean 200k a month!

fatboy47 wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 18, 2023 8:10 pm

Why do people generalise like this?

I actually feel sorry for people who fall for the outdated idea that filling your pockets is everybody's overriding priority in life.

Maybe you can offer a better explanation money aside what the driving force for him is then? It certainly can't be for footballing reasons.

Jakubclaret wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 18, 2023 8:15 pm

Maybe you can offer a better explanation money aside what the driving force for him is then? It certainly can't be for footballing reasons.

I don't give a monkeys toss what his motivation is Jakub. I was clearly commenting on GIADJ's assertion that. "" we'd all do the same""

fatboy47 wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 18, 2023 8:18 pm

I don't give a monkeys toss what his motivation is Jakub. I was clearly commenting on GIADJ's assertion that. "" we'd all do the same""

Fair enough it's a jump to say all.

fatboy47 wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 18, 2023 8:10 pm

Why do people generalise like this?

I actually feel sorry for people who fall for the outdated idea that filling your pockets is everybody's overriding priority in life.

there isn't a footballer of standard playing in Saudi that isn't doing it for the money. There is no Champions League equivalent of note. I agree 100% with you that money isn't the motivating factor for many people in other walks of life, but footballers to Saudi is 100% down to money

Vegas Claret wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 18, 2023 8:22 pm

there isn't a footballer of standard playing in Saudi that isn't doing it for the money. There is no Champions League equivalent of note. I agree 100% with you that money isn't the motivating factor for many people in other walks of life, but footballers to Saudi is 100% down to money

I don't doubt that Vegas.

He’s clearly saying that not every player is following the money by going to Saudi Arabia or China etc or else all the best players would have gone at the peak of their career given nobody can get near what they are offering salary wise.

Oscar was one of the few who left at a young age. Anybody got a clue how his football career has gone since then ? Did he not also lose his national place for Brazil ?

It’s up to Oscar if he wants to choose a very very lot of money and the end of his football ambitions or a very lot of money and playing for the best teams in the most prestigious competitions.

Fortunately for us spectators and fans of the game, 99% of the best players choose to stay in the top European leagues and take less money.

So it is a massive generalisation to say anyone would take the bigger salaries on offer because many of us ordinary folk wouldn’t and many of the actual gifted footballers don’t.

GodIsADeeJay81 wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 18, 2023 5:58 pm

They're following the money and tbh we'd do the same

Oscar admitted as much when he went to China, he was never going to get the chance to earn that much again so off he went.

Footballers are retired for a long time.

They are. But they are only retired from playing. They are relatively young and can find another career. Their earning potential then becomes normal, unless they move into management. Even so, after 15 years of earning frankly silly money, if they can’t afford to fully retire, they need to take a long hard look in the mirror. They can earn as players in a year what mere mortals earn in ten years or even longer. Running off to China/America/Saudi comes down to greed, and greed alone imho.

The last few World Cups were bought with the serious money greasing palms. Nothing will change .

Hasn’t Modric just turned down a Saudi offer? While I can understand the financial implications, it’s really sad when a player chooses to do it in their peak footballing years, like Neves.

GodIsADeeJay81 wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 18, 2023 6:16 pm

Oscar got £600k a week to go to China.

Any sane person would take that

If I was on 100k a week in England playing for a ‘top club’ in the prime of my life, national team starter no I would not go and live in China, or any other authoritarian Nation for extra money because I value my own integrity and moral compass.

It’s really that simple.

I can’t do with the influence these places are having on the Globe one bit - I detest everything about the gulf states with all my being - they are truly abhorrent