The ongoing summer transfers have swept through the world of sports like a hurricane. One question looms large: where will Kylian Mbappe land next? Speculations are in the air regarding the French superstar's potential future.
While the spotlight is undoubtedly on Mbappe, this summer's transfer window has already unveiled some astonishing moves that have left fans awestruck. Dominating the headlines is the departure of top-tier players to Saudi Arabian clubs, enticed by lucrative salary offers that European clubs find challenging to match.
It's not just players nearing the end of their careers who are making the switch but even those at the peak of their game. Notable names among these exits include Riyad Mahrez, Karim Benzema, Edouard Mendy, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Sadio Mane, and Ruben Neves, all of whom have bid farewell to European football. This trend potentially reshapes the competitive football landscape, with the Saudi Pro League emerging as a new global contender with serious ambitions.
The Saudi Pro League has spent almost 400 million euros, surpassing La Liga in investments. Notably, Saudi club Al-Hilal made a record transfer fee offer for Mbappe, which the French player declined, even after PSG had accepted the bid. Similarly, Lionel Messi declined an offer from another Saudi club, choosing instead to join Inter Miami in the United States for a comparatively reduced salary. If the deal had gone through with Lionel Messi accepting the Saudi club's offer, the football universe would have witnessed a historic clash of the great players again, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi possibly squaring off in the same league. The Saudi Pro League would have then made huge broadcasting gains with the football fans' endless wish to see Ronaldo and Messi facing each other.
Nevertheless, European transfers hold their charm. The transfer carousel took a spin as Mason Mount bid farewell to Chelsea, starting a new journey with Manchester United. Meanwhile, Manchester City acquired Kovacic from Chelsea as a strategic replacement for Gundogan, who joined Barcelona. Chelsea also saw their German sensation Kai Havertz depart for Arsenal. Kai Havertz is joined by Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber who are the latest arrivals as well. City also added a promising Croatian defender, Jasko Gvardiol, while United focused on acquiring Danish striker Rasmus Hojlund to strengthen their attack.
Amidst these manoeuvres, Jude Bellingham’s transfer to Real Madrid resonates fervently. Valued at an impressive 103 million euros, this move by the young English talent stands out as one of the summer's most remarkable transfers.
In the realm of uncertainty, Ousmane Dembele's sudden move to Paris Saint Germain (PSG), which is about to be completed soon, stands more surprising than Asensio’s switch to PSG from Real Madrid. As the summer transfer window unfolds, the newly appointed PSG coach, Luis Enrique, is set to oversee more new faces in his team.
The intrigue of the summer transfer window continues to mount with each day passing. Will Mbappe eventually find his way to Real Madrid? Only time will tell. However, as Saudi clubs swayed stars away from European fields, a new chapter is being penned in football's global narrative. Football’s spotlight may gradually shift towards Saudi Arabia as football fans wish to see their favourite stars playing.
Roshaan Khan