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Graeme Souness understands why players are leaving European football for Saudi Arabia and believes more stars of the modern game will continue to do in the future.
The Middle East has been the big spenders of the summer, with the nation’s spending on transfers only second to the Premier League.
High-profile names have departed European football for the Saudi Pro League with Souness’ former club Liverpool seeing several stars swap Anfield for the Kingdom this year.
Speaking exclusively on Mail Sport’s special transfer edition of It’s All Kicking Off, Souness offered expert insight on why players are being tempted by the money on offer in the Middle East and recounted how he made a similar move to Italy in the 1980s.
Jordan Henderson left Liverpool and gave up the captaincy to move to Saudi Arabia this summer
‘I was a mercenary as well, I was captain of Liverpool, we had just won the European Cup and the league and the league cup in 1984 and I went off to play in Italy because Italy was where all the best players in the world were and the thing that drove me there more than anything else, apart from that challenge was I was getting a lot more money,’ said Souness.
‘I was captain of Liverpool and leaving the best team in Europe. I’m maybe again either the best or not the best to be asked that question.
‘I think players at the end of their careers, the kind of players being attracted to Saudi Arabia are big players so they’ve been big players at big clubs and earn a great deal of money anyway and this as the icing on the cake is an understatement and they are getting a lot of money to go and play in Saudi Arabia,’ he added.
‘Individually you’d have to ask them if they felt it was the right thing to do for them.
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‘There will be some people who say no to it but I think the vast majority will say yes when it’s coming to the end of their career and they’ve achieved great things in our game,’ said Souness.
The Saudi revolution was ignited by Cristiano Ronaldo after the Portuguese superstar called time on his career in Europe to join Al-Nassr.
Brazilian striker Roberto Firmino left Liverpool as a free agent after spending eight years at the club
Souness was speaking exclusively on Mail Sport’s special transfer edition of It’s All Kicking Off
Fabinho was one of Liverpool’s surprise departures as he joined Al Ittihad in a £40m transfer
Ronaldo signed off on a £175m-per-year contract and that peaked the interest of other players who began to recognise Saudi Arabia as a huge payday opportunity.
Other marquee names have since followed with Brazilian star Neymar this summer’s biggest transfer, but Salah would likely oust him given his status as the most high-profile Arab footballer.
Liverpool are determined to keep hold of the 31-year-old with Klopp refusing to let his star player leave so late in the transfer window, but the club’s resolve will be tested by the huge sum on offer.
Graeme Souness was speaking as one of the judges for Sky Bet’s Real Football Number Ones campaign, looking for the heroes who aren’t always on the pitch, but are constantly making a difference to the beautiful game.
