Juergen Klopp urged world soccer governing body FIFA to look into Saudi Arabia’s transfer window closing three weeks after Europe’s, with the Liverpool boss fearing major European leagues could lose more players without being able to replace them.
The English Premier League’s transfer window closes on Sept. 1, the deadline for most of Europe’s top leagues, but Saudi Pro League clubs can sign players until Sept. 20.
Liverpool have already seen three of their key players move to Saudi Arabian clubs, including skipper Jordan Henderson and fellow midfielder Fabinho, while striker Roberto Firmino moved on a free transfer.
Photo: AFP
“The influence of Saudi Arabia is massive at the moment,” Klopp told reporters on Tuesday, a day before their pre-season friendly against Bayern Munich in Singapore.
“Pretty much the worst thing I think is that the transfer window in Saudi Arabia is open three weeks longer. If I am right, I heard something like that, then at least in Europe that’s not helpful, Klopp said.
“UEFA or FIFA must find solutions for that, but in the end, at this moment, I don’t know exactly what will happen. It’s already influential for us, but we will have to learn to deal with it... Time will show,” he said.
Saudi Arabia has flexed its financial might by luring some of the best players from European clubs with lucrative contracts, including French Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema and his FIFA World Cup winning compatriot N’Golo Kante among others.
The European exodus began last year when Al Nassr completed the marquee signing of Cristiano Ronaldo soon after the World Cup in Qatar, making the Portugal forward the highest-paid athlete in the world.
Klopp also dismissed reports of Liverpool looking to sign Kylian Mbappe on loan for the season as the Frenchman looks to leave Paris Saint-Germain, where he is at an impasse with the club as he enters the final year of his contract.
Mbappe has also been linked with a world record move to Saudi Arabia, but media reports said he rejected the idea of playing in the Gulf kingdom as he eyes a transfer to Real Madrid.
“We laugh about it,” Klopp told Sky Germany. “I can say that I think he’s a really good player, but the financial conditions don’t suit us at all. I wouldn’t like to ruin the story now ... but as far as I know, there’s nothing to it.”
AL NASSR SIGN MANE
Meanwhile, Al Nassr confirmed the signing of Bayern Munich striker Sadio Mane.
The twice African player of the year is the latest high-profile player to join the cash-rich Saudi Pro League.
“I’m really happy to be part of you guys, I can’t wait to see you,” Mane said in a video addressed to Al Nassr supporters on the club’s social media accounts.
Both clubs announced the transfer involving the former Liverpool star, which German media estimated at about 30 million euros (US$32,935) on a three-year deal with an annual salary for Mane of 40 million euros plus 10 million euros in results-based bonuses.
Additional reporting by AFP
Bologna on Thursday advanced past Empoli to reach their first Coppa Italia final in more than half a century. Thijs Dallinga’s 87th-minute header earned Bologna a 2-1 win and his side advanced 5-1 on aggregate. Giovanni Fabbian opened the scoring for Bologna with a header seven minutes in. Then Viktor Kovalenko equalized for Empoli in the 30th minute by turning in a rebound to finish off a counterattack. Bologna won the first leg 3-0. In the May 14 final in Rome, Bologna are to face AC Milan, who eliminated city rivals Inter 4-1 on aggregate following a 3-0 win on Wednesday. Bologna last reached the
If the Wild finally break through and win their first playoff series in a decade, Minnesota’s top line likely will be the reason. They were all over the Golden Knights through the first two games of their NHL Western Conference quarter-finals series, which was 1-1 going back to Minnesota for Game 3 today. The Wild tied the series with a 5-2 win on Tuesday. Matt Boldy had three goals and an assist in the first two games, while Kirill Kaprizov produced two goals and three assists. Joel Eriksson Ek, who centers the line, has yet to get on the scoresheet. “I think the biggest
From a commemorative jersey to a stadium in his name, Argentine soccer organizers are planning a slew of tributes to their late “Captain” Pope Francis, eulogized as the ultimate team player. Tributes to the Argentine pontiff, a lifelong lover of the game, who died on Monday at the age of 88, have been peppered with soccer metaphors in his homeland. “Francisco. What a player,” the Argentine Football Federation (AFA) said, describing the first pope from Latin America and the southern hemisphere as a generational talent who “never hogged the ball” and who showed the world “the importance of having an Argentine captain,
Noelvi Marte on Sunday had seven RBIs and hit his first career grand slam with a drive off infielder Jorge Mateo, while Austin Wynn had a career-high six RBIs as the Cincinnati Reds scored their most runs in 26 years in a 24-2 rout of the Baltimore Orioles. Marte finished with five hits, including his eighth-inning homer off Mateo. Wynn hit a three-run homer in the ninth off catcher Gary Sanchez. Cincinnati scored its most runs since a 24-12 win against the Colorado Rockies on May 19, 1999, and finished with 25 hits. Baltimore allowed its most runs since a 30-3 loss to
RSS