Gary Neville is calling on the Premier League to block transfers to the Saudi Pro League following the latest raft of players heading for the controversial Gulf nation.
With the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kante becoming the most recent big names to make the big money moves to Saudi Arabia, the former Manchester United man turned pundit has raised concerns over the protecting the “integrity of the game”.
Speaking to BBC Sport earlier this week, Neville urged the governing bodies at Premier League to put an embargo on all potential transfers until the proper measures have been to taken to vet the money changing hands and examine the wider impact on both English and world football.
The 48-year-old commentator and presenter insisted that “checks should be made on the appropriateness of the transactions”, adding that “if it comes through that process, obviously transfers could open up again” but warning that, until then, it would be wise to allow them to continue.
Gary Neville believes the Premier League to stop the transfer of players to Saudi Arabia until it is certain the integrity of its competition is not being put at risk. ❌#BBCFootballpic.twitter.com/2pd9BhOW4d
Gary Neville believes the ongoing trend of transfers to the Saudi Pro League could be damaging to the beautiful game.
Neville went on to say, “I do believe, at this moment in time, transfers should be halted until you look into the ownership structure at Chelsea and whether there are beneficial transfer dealings that are improper.”
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For context, Chelsea spent in excess of £400 million on singing over the past two transfer windows and are one of many clubs being looked at regarding Financial Fair Play (FFP), including Everton and Manchester City, the lattermost having been hit with over 115 charges of breaching regulations.
Chelsea are also one of the main clubs that look to be offloading some of their surplus players — many of whom are considered to be ‘in their prime’ — to Saudi Arabia, with Kante having already made the switch, as well Kalidou Koulibaly and Hakim Ziyech now being linked with transfers to the Gulf state.
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Other big Premier League names like Arsenal’s Thomas Partey, Wolves captain Rúben Neves, and now even City star Bernardo Silva are either being linked with or are soon to finalise deals with wealthy Saudi clubs such as Al Hilal, Al Nassr and Al Ittihad.
Bernardo Silva is in his peak years & has been one of the best players in Europe for the last five years!
I wasn’t worried about the Saudi League taking players in their 30’s, a touch worried with players below the elite (Neves) but if this happens it feels like a game changer… https://t.co/hcDUbkGp30
As you can see, Neville isn’t the only one who is becoming progressively more worried by Saudi Arabia’s growing influence in the sport, with his Sky Sports and Monday Night Football colleague Jamie Carragher admitting that being able to draw in top players at this age “feels like a game changer”.
He went on to say: “Saudi have taken over golf, the big boxing fights and now they want to take over football!! This sportswashing needs to be stopped!”
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This is obviously not the first time that we’ve had other wealthy nations try and make themselves a major footballing competitor, with similar concerns being raised over the Chinese Super League just a few years ago, but they never really made any real marquee signings and the bubble seemed to burst.
Is the ambitious Saudi Pro League something you’re concerned about or, like China, do you think it will all blow over in a year or two?
Featured Image — Al-Ittihad/Sky Sports (via Twitter)
Sport
Luxury Manchester gym Blok confirms permanent closure after weeks of uncertainty
Daisy Jackson
Blok Manchester has announced its permanent closure, weeks after the doors to the premium fitness facility mysteriously closed.
Around a fortnight ago, members began to arrive to their classes to find the gym on Ducie Street locked up and a forfeiture notice on the door – but at the time, Blok said that it was fighting to reopen.
Sadly, in an email sent to members today, its founder has confirmed that the studio is now permanently closed.
Blok – which has several very successful sites down in London – said that its relationship with its landlord has ‘broken down to a point where trust has been lost’.
The gym wrote that it’s been left with ‘no workable way forward’.
They said: “BLOK Manchester was a space built by our loyal and dedicated community. Whether you joined us for one class or one hundred, we are deeply grateful. You helped create something genuinely special in an incredible city.”
In the immediate future, they said they’ll be supporting the team of fantastic trainers who worked here, as well as looking after members.
Members will be contacted within a few hours with options and refunds owed.
Blok Manchester has announced its permanent closure. Credit: The Manc Group
CEO and founder Ed Stanbury said: “While this marks the end of a chapter, we don’t see it as the end of our story in Manchester. We’re already speaking with developers about potential future sites and remain committed to returning to the city when the time is right.
“Thank you for being part of our story so far. Let’s shape the future of wellness. The mission continues.”
Commenting on Blok’s Instagram post – its first in almost a fortnight – people have been sharing their sadness at the closure of its Manchester site.
One person wrote: “beautiful space, beautiful staff and beautiful community.”
Another said: “Sending love to all the instructors !! :(((( gutted”
Someone else commented: “THE BEST CLASSES. I’m gutted.”
Manchester City plotting spending spree ‘before’ Club World Cup
Danny Jones
Manchester City are set to embark on somewhat of a spending spree this summer transfer window as the club’s higher-ups are looking to get business done before the 2025 Club World Cup.
With FIFA’s intercontinental club competition set to get underway in mid-June, the Blues don’t have too long to welcome in new players, but Man City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has reiterated their urgency regarding recruitment.
Despite having brought in four new acquisitions in a very short space of time last season, the 50-year-old argued that he wasn’t completely happy with the extent and speed of their business.
Giving a lengthy interview this week, CFG‘s founding chairman has imposed an internal deadline ahead of the lucrative knockout competition.
Speaking with club media, Khaldoon recognised that while there were incomings in January of this year, he believes they “should have been more aggressive in some of the changes we needed to do, adding that he believes it “cost [them].”
“I can tell you today, we have clearly identified who exactly [the targets are], in what positions, and we have our clear number one option, our clear number two option”, he continues.
More importantly, he goes on to add: “We’ll go about our business, and it will be very clear, very swift. Our objective is to try to be ready with the new squad for the Club World Cup.”
He also suggested the flurry of activity this past January was not just atypical of the administration, but felt the squad fell into a crisis state with the number of injuries, insisting they “had to act.”
City have already been linked with a hugely talented and highly-rated European target in the wake of Kevin De Bruyne‘s departure and a lack of strength in depth in midfield.
An initial bid is said to have been received already and will likely be the first of many City summer signings.
He also insisted that the players who joined last season weren’t scattershot, emergency transfers (perhaps barring the resigning of İlkay Gündoğan) but were the start of the rebuild and “gives [fans] an idea of what’s coming this summer.”
Another player linked with a move to the Etihad Stadium is Lyon star Rayan Cherki, who scored in big moments during their Europa League run this year, registering 32 goal contributions across all competitions throughout the 24/25 campaign.
Who would you like to see added to Pep Guardiola’s side this summer, then, Man City fans?
You can watch Khaldoon Al Mubarak’s interview in full down below:
Danny Jones -
22nd June 2023 
