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The Saudi Pro League will target players \u201cof the highest level\u201d in future transfer windows, its head of recruitment has said.<\/p>\n
Top-flight Saudi Arabian clubs spent \u00a3701million to bring in talent from overseas in the summer,\u2019 according to FIFA.<\/p>\n
That figure could have been even bigger if bids from Saudi teams for Paris St Germain striker Kylian Mbappe and Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah had been accepted.<\/p>\n
Michael Emenalo, the league\u2019s director of football and the man in charge of the country\u2019s Player Acquisition Centre for Excellence (PACE), admitted the Saudi league had \u201ccompeted aggressively\u201d in the summer window and that the focus was now on top-quality additions.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m hoping (the January transfer window) is not very busy, because I think the job that was done has been quite interesting and aggressive, and most of the clubs, I believe, have what they need,\u201d the former Chelsea technical director said in an interview with the league\u2019s in-house media team.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd hopefully the attention will now turn to work within the training facilities to improve these players and to allow the time to adapt and perform.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow, whatever additional improvement that we need to do for any club, with time on our hands and preparation, we believe will be additions of the highest level.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will continue to support and to see every opportunity we have to bring more talented individuals that want to come to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia that is open for business.\u201d<\/p>\n
Saudi clubs have always traditionally been one of the top recruiters of talent in Asia but Al Nassr\u2019s signing of Cristiano Ronaldo in January of this year marked a gear shift and paved the way for other superstars to join the league.<\/p>\n
Neymar, Karim Benzema, Riyad Mahrez, Ruben Neves and Sadio Mane are among the big names who subsequently moved to the kingdom in the summer.<\/p>\n
Emenalo added: \u201cThese guys have been the best performers for a very long time in our industry. We\u2019re very, very lucky to have them.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve always explained, privately and publicly, that top-level footballers are incredible and unique artists, and what they can do, you can only dream of until you try to do it, when you realise how difficult it is.<\/p>\n
\u201cThose guys are exceptional artists, and the artists as time goes on will be greatly appreciated and copied by youngsters in the country and that will be for the good of everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n