Soccer Football - Opening of 2023-2024 Saudi Pro League - Jeddah, Saudi Arabia - August 7, 2023 General view of the trophy at the opening of the Saudi Pro League Saudi Pro League Media Office/Handout via REUTERSAug 8 (Reuters) - The vast sums invested to entice some of the world's top players to Saudi Arabia this season is no one-off, but part of a long-term strategy to make the Saudi Pro League one of the best in the world, its chief operating officer has said.
Soccer website Transfermarkt ranks the Saudi League as the fifth-biggest spender in the current transfer window, ahead of Spain's LaLiga.
"One of the very first objectives that the Saudi Pro League was set was to improve the product.
"We had to improve quality and in order to improve quality, you have to bring in the best.
"What you're seeing is simply the Saudi Pro League doing what other leagues needed to do ... We have joined these ranks, and we're doing whatever it takes to improve quality on the pitch."
Persons:
Carlo Nohra, Ballon, Karim Benzema, Jordan Henderson, Riyad Mahrez, Nassr, Cristiano Ronaldo, spender, Nohra, We've, we've, Al Ahmar, Shady Amir, Simon Jennings, Christian
Organizations:
Soccer, Saudi Pro League, Saudi Pro League Saudi Pro League Media, REUTERS, Reuters, Saudi, Liverpool, Manchester City, Al, Saudi League, Thomson
Locations:
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Real Madrid, Manchester, Spain's, Saudi