Darwin Nunez also moved to Saudi Arabia. © APA/afp / DARREN STAPLES

Why Saudi football clubs are focusing more on young players

Riyadh instead of Munich: At the beginning of this summer, neither the player nor FC Bayern expected that Kingsley Coman would move to Saudi Arabia at the peak of his football career.

August 12, 2025

From: dpa

The German record champions continued to plan for the Frenchman, who had already announced his intention to stay. However, the lure of Al-Nassr, where Coman's medical is still pending, with a high salary caused the 29-year-old to rethink his options – and this is not the only example of the new strategy now being pursued by the heavily state-supported Saudi league.

For a long time, it was mainly discarded veteran stars who attracted a windfall of money in the late autumn of their careers who caused a stir. Former world footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, for example, moved to the Gulf state in 2023 at the age of 37. Sadio Mané, who was discarded by FC Bayern, and Brazil's injury-prone dribbling wizard Neymar, who was 31 at the time of their transfers, also found few takers in Europe due to the high salary demands.

Saudi Arabia relies on players under 30

Recently, however, new signings at Saudi clubs have been coming in different age groups. Darwin Núñez was also linked with Italian champions SSC Napoli this summer, but the 26-year-old from Liverpool FC opted for the Saudi first division club Al-Hilal. The transfer of former Stuttgart player Enzo Millot, still far from retiring at the age of 23, to Al-Ahli also surprised many fans.

In addition, there are a growing number of talented players leaving Europe before they can make it big. The talented Colombian striker Jhon Durán was only 21 when he moved from Aston Villa to Ronaldo's club Al Nassr in January. Marcos Leonardo, then 21, moved to Al-Hilal in the summer of 2024, despite having only made three starts for Benfica in the Portuguese league. The Brazilian is making a splash in Saudi Arabia, scoring twice in the surprise victory against Manchester City at the Club World Cup.

League controls transfer policy of all clubs

The Saudi Pro League (SPL) isn't hiding the fact that it's undergoing a change in strategy regarding signings. The league dubbed a program announced in 2023 the "Player Acquisition Centre of Excellence" (PACE). According to the plans, the transfer policy of all 18 clubs will be organized under the league's umbrella from then on. This is intended to avoid costly contract terminations and also lower the average age, which was still 29 at the time – with the aim of making the Saudi Pro League one of the top 10 leagues in the world.

Enzo Millot moved to Saudi Arabia at the age of 23. © ANSA / RONALD WITTEK

An ambitious goal, however, one that plays a central role in Saudi Arabia's strategy. Under the leadership of de facto ruler Mohammed bin Salman, the country has been pushing ahead with a comprehensive economic reform called "Vision 2030" for years, aimed at making the country less dependent on oil. This includes opening up to tourism and entertainment, which were banned in the strictly conservative kingdom for decades, as well as a focus on sports.

Human rights organizations warn

According to critics, in addition to its economic goals, the government in Riyadh is also trying to improve its own image through so-called "sportswashing." Despite some reforms, human rights activists continue to deliver a devastating review of the country, which made international headlines after the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

In 2024, 345 people were executed in Saudi Arabia – the highest number in more than three decades, according to a report by the human rights organization Amnesty International. Among them were many foreign nationals convicted of drug offenses, as well as journalists critical of the government. Behind the "progressive image" the country seeks to project worldwide lies a "dark and deadly reality," Amnesty International criticized.