Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp has expressed concern that major European leagues may lose more players than they are able to replace if the transfer window in Saudi Arabia closes three weeks after that of Europe. Klopp has requested that FIFA, the governing body of soccer throughout the globe, investigate this issue.
The transfer window for the Premier League shuts on September 1, the same day as it does for most of Europe’s major leagues; however, teams in the Saudi Pro League have until September 20 to sign players.
Three of Liverpool’s most important players have already transferred to teams in Saudi Arabia. Jordan Henderson, who captained the team, Fabinho, another midfielder, and Roberto Firmino, who scored goals, are among those who have made the move. Roberto Firmino left on a free transfer.
“The influence of Saudi Arabia is massive at the moment,” Klopp told reporters on Tuesday, a day before their pre-season friendly match against Bayern Munich in Singapore. The match was scheduled to take place in Singapore.
“I believe that the fact that the transfer window in Saudi Arabia is open for three weeks longer is pretty much the worst thing that could have happened.” If what I heard is accurate, then at least in Europe, it is not useful advice. If I am correct, I heard something like that.
“The governing body of soccer in Europe, UEFA, or FIFA is responsible for finding a solution to that problem. But in the end, at this very time, I do not know the specifics of what will take place. It is already having an effect on us, but we will need to figure out how to accommodate for it… “Only time will tell.”
Saudi Arabia has shown its financial strength by enticing some of the greatest players from European clubs with lucrative contracts. These players include Karim Benzema, winner of the Ballon d’Or, and N’Golo Kante, a compatriot of Benzema’s who won the World Cup. Other players have also been recruited.
The departure of athletes from Europe started one year ago, when Al-Nassr finalized the headline signing of Cristiano Ronaldo just after the World Cup in Qatar. This made the Portugal striker the highest-paid athlete in the world at the time.
There have been rumors that Liverpool are interested in taking Kylian Mbappe on loan for the next season as the French player wishes to leave Paris Saint-Germain, where he is in a stalemate with the club as he approaches the last year of his contract. Klopp has denied these rumors, though.
Mbappe has also been connected with a world record transfer to Saudi Arabia. However, according to several sources in the media, he has rejected the thought of playing in the Gulf kingdom as he looks to go to Real Madrid.
“We laugh about it,” Klopp said in an interview with Sky Germany. I am able to state that I believe he is a very excellent player; yet, the current financial circumstances do not work in our favor in any way. I don’t want to be the one to spoil the narrative for you right now, but as far as I can tell, there’s no truth to it.
It’s conceivable that someone else from the club is working on something, and they want to surprise me with it… In the eight years that I’ve been here, nothing of the kind has taken place. That would be the first time that has ever happened.”