Over the past two years, the&nbsp;Saudi Pro League&nbsp;has transformed the global soccer transfer market, luring some of the sport’s biggest stars away from Europe. From <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/cristiano-ronaldo">Cristiano Ronaldo</a>’s&nbsp;groundbreaking move to&nbsp;Neymar’s €90 million switch, Saudi clubs have spent heavily to attract elite superstars. However, a&nbsp;major shift in strategy&nbsp;has now taken place—one that will significantly impact players like&nbsp;Mohamed Salah&nbsp;and&nbsp;Vinicius.



For months, <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/saudi-pro-league/">Saudi clubs</a> have been chasing these two veterans, but recent developments suggest that their pursuit may not continue in the way many expected. The reason? A fundamental&nbsp;change in transfer policy&nbsp;which could reshape the league’s identity and its approach to recruitment.



The league’s spending spree reached its peak in the&nbsp;summer of 2023, when clubs splashed a staggering&nbsp;€945 million&nbsp;on signings, securing players like&nbsp;<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/karim-benzema/">Karim Benzema</a>, Riyad Mahrez, and <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/neymar/">Neymar</a>. The arrival of these global icons helped put the Saudi Pro League on the soccer map, but it also raised concerns about sustainability.



However, as reported by&nbsp;The Independent, Saudi soccer authorities have decided to&nbsp;move away from signing aging superstars&nbsp;and instead focus on&nbsp;younger talents&nbsp;who can develop within the league. The shift became evident during the&nbsp;January transfer window when clubs prioritized emerging prospects rather than established names.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1200" height="675" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20250206_WST_553734_Jhon-Duran-1200x675_7724b117.webp&amp;width=1200&amp;height=675" alt="Jhon Duran" class="wp-image-551750" srcset="https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2025/02/03161311/Jhon-Duran-1200x675.jpg 1200w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2025/02/03161311/Jhon-Duran-300x169.jpg 300w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2025/02/03161311/Jhon-Duran-768x432.jpg 768w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2025/02/03161311/Jhon-Duran-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2025/02/03161311/Jhon-Duran-740x416.jpg 740w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2025/02/03161311/Jhon-Duran-490x275.jpg 490w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2025/02/03161311/Jhon-Duran-250x140.jpg 250w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2025/02/03161311/Jhon-Duran.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure></figure>



One prime example is&nbsp;<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/jhon-duran/">Jhon Duran</a>, the 21-year-old Colombian striker who joined&nbsp;Al-Nassr for €75 million, making him the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/real-madrid-and-psg-rejected-premier-league-star-set-for-al-nassr-move-could-cristiano-lure-him-to-saudi-pro-league/">league’s second most expensive signing after Neymar</a>. Durán joins other young South Americans in Saudi Arabia, including&nbsp;Wesley (19), Angelo Gabriel (20), and Marcos Leonardo (21). Meanwhile,&nbsp;Kaio Cesar (20) and Matteo Dams (20)&nbsp;have also been signed with an eye toward long-term development.



<h2>From veterans to youth: Why the shift?</h2>



The decision to target younger players is driven by multiple factors, the most important being&nbsp;financial sustainability. Signing&nbsp;less-experienced players is significantly cheaper&nbsp;in terms of both transfer fees and wages compared to megastars like Neymar and Benzema.



For example,&nbsp;Matteo Dams, a rising star from PSV, cost&nbsp;just €10 million, whereas Neymar’s ill-fated spell at Al-Hilal&nbsp;cost the club hundreds of millions&nbsp;while yielding only&nbsp;seven appearances&nbsp;before his exit. The same pattern has been observed with&nbsp;other veteran players whose market values have plummeted&nbsp;after moving to Saudi Arabia. Neymar, for instance, saw his market value&nbsp;drop from €75 million to just €15 million&nbsp;in under two years.



<h2>What does this mean for Salah and Vinicius?</h2>



The decision to&nbsp;move away from signing aging megastars&nbsp;has direct consequences for&nbsp;<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/mohamed-salah/">Mohamed Salah</a> and Vinicius, two of the biggest names linked with Saudi clubs in recent months.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1200" height="675" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20250206_WST_553734_Salah-1200x675_6ca301fe.webp&amp;width=1200&amp;height=675" alt="" class="wp-image-547465" srcset="https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2025/01/07105916/Salah-1200x675.jpg 1200w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2025/01/07105916/Salah-300x169.jpg 300w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2025/01/07105916/Salah-768x432.jpg 768w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2025/01/07105916/Salah-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2025/01/07105916/Salah-740x416.jpg 740w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2025/01/07105916/Salah-490x275.jpg 490w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2025/01/07105916/Salah-250x140.jpg 250w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2025/01/07105916/Salah.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure></figure>



For&nbsp;Salah, the change in approach could be a major obstacle. Al-Hilal, widely seen as the favorites to sign the Egyptian forward, were <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/neymar-returns-to-santos-al-hilal-goes-all-in-for-mohamed-salah-to-replace-the-brazilian/">expected to&nbsp;make a massive bid&nbsp;to lure the Egyptian as a free agent this summer</a>. However, with the league now focusing on younger profiles, Salah’s potential move looks less certain than before. “Saudi dealmakers have long been keen to lure Salah over to the Pro League,”&nbsp;reports&nbsp;The Telegraph, highlighting the long-standing interest in the Liverpool star.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1200" height="675" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20250206_WST_553734_Vinicius-Junior-1-1200x675_d048ade6.webp&amp;width=1200&amp;height=675" alt="Vinicius Junior" class="wp-image-551706" srcset="https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2025/02/03103113/Vinicius-Junior-1-1200x675.jpg 1200w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2025/02/03103113/Vinicius-Junior-1-300x169.jpg 300w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2025/02/03103113/Vinicius-Junior-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2025/02/03103113/Vinicius-Junior-1-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2025/02/03103113/Vinicius-Junior-1-740x416.jpg 740w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2025/02/03103113/Vinicius-Junior-1-490x275.jpg 490w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2025/02/03103113/Vinicius-Junior-1-250x140.jpg 250w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2025/02/03103113/Vinicius-Junior-1.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure></figure>



The same applies to&nbsp;<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/vinicius-junior/">Vinicius</a>, who was reportedly&nbsp;<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/vinicius-to-replace-neymar-at-al-hilal-why-real-madrid-would-sell-him-to-saudi-pro-league-if-one-condition-is-met/">offered a €300 million transfer fee</a>&nbsp;by Saudi clubs, along with a staggering&nbsp;€200 million-a-season salary&nbsp;over five years. While Real Madrid have&nbsp;no intention of selling&nbsp;unless the player himself pushes for a move, Saudi interest was seen as a major test of their resolve. However, with the league’s shift in priorities, the likelihood of such an extravagant deal being finalized&nbsp;has significantly decreased.

Saudi Pro League makes major transfer decision that will affect Salah and Vinicius

No more aiming for legends like Ronaldo, Messi, and Neymar: Saudi Pro League’s new strategy that will affect Salah and Vinicius - World Soccer Talk

No more aiming for legends like Ronaldo, Messi, and Neymar: Saudi Pro League’s new strategy that will affect Salah and Vinicius

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<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/mohamed-salah/">Mohamed Salah</a>‘s future remains uncertain as his Liverpool contract nears expiration in June 2024. The Egyptian forward, widely considered one of the best players in the world, is attracting significant interest from several top clubs, including FC Barcelona and numerous Saudi Arabian teams. 



This high-stakes transfer saga could reshape the landscape of both the Premier League and La Liga.



Reports from Spanish media outlet Sport suggest that <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/barcelona/">FC Barcelona</a> has renewed its interest in acquiring Salah. President Joan Laporta reportedly attempted to sign the player earlier but was thwarted by Liverpool’s high valuation.



However, with Salah’s contract expiring, Barcelona sees a potential opportunity to secure the prolific winger on a free transfer. The Catalan club’s interest aligns with their strategy to strengthen their attacking options, and Salah’s proven ability to score goals and create chances makes him an attractive target.



While Athletic Bilbao’s Nico Williams is currently Barcelona’s top priority, Salah remains a viable option should their pursuit of Williams prove unsuccessful.


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<h2>Liverpool’s stance and the Saudi threat</h2>



Liverpool, eager to retain one of their star players, has reportedly offered Salah a contract extension. The club aims to keep the Egyptian forward, a key component of their attack, in the Premier League.



His impressive statistics this season—nine goals and seven assists in just 15 matches—underscore his continued importance. However, Liverpool faces stiff competition from wealthy Saudi Arabian clubs, who possess the financial resources to make a significant offer.



<h2>Salah’s cryptic message</h2>



Adding to the transfer speculation, Salah recently posted a cryptic message on social media following a match-winning performance: “This club belongs at the top of the table. Nothing less. Every team wins games, but at the end there’s only one champion. That’s what we want. Thanks for your support last night. No matter what happens, I’ll never forget what it feels like to score at Anfield.” 



The ambiguity of this message, coupled with earlier comments to Sky Sports suggesting this season could be his last at Anfield, fuels speculation regarding his departure.


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Since joining Liverpool in 2017, Salah has established himself as a club legend, scoring an impressive 164 goals in 273 appearances and leading the team to numerous titles, including the Premier League (2020), UEFA Champions League (2019), FA Cup, and Carabao Cup. His impact on Liverpool’s success is undeniable, and his departure would represent a significant loss for the club.

Will Salah say goodbye to Anfield? Major club reportedly in the race

Will Salah say goodbye to Anfield? Major club reportedly in the race - World Soccer Talk

The October international break was bizarre. Sure, there were some interesting games and notable storylines like <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/amp/news/pochettino-era-with-usmnt-starts-with-a-win-and-positive-signs/">Mauricio Pochettino’s debut</a> with the USMNT. However, a bigger trend made headway. Players left their national teams prematurely to return to their clubs and prevent the further risk of injury. Headline players like Christian Pulisic, Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and others left their national teams early. Others did not even feature in their squads despite being healthy. That applies to those like Kylian Mbappe, Kobbie Mainoo and Frenkie de Jong. 



Each of these players, and the continued trend of <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/lamine-yamal-nurses-hamstring-injury-after-rampant-playing-time/">opting out</a> of national team duty is right to prioritize fitness and their club over lackluster national team competitions. Whether it be the Nations League in any confederation or just simple friendlies, these star players do not need to risk injuries that could curtail their careers. Many of these stars are playing games in the domestic league, domestic cup and UEFA competitions. That number of games can seriously ramp up.



Although it is nothing formal, it is a conscious decision from players that aligns with the threat of a strike. Before his knee injury with Manchester City, Spanish midfielder Rodri <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/rodri-players-close-to-strike-to-combat-fixture-congestion/">actively campaigned for a strike</a> to quell the growing number of games. 



“I think we are close to a strike, and if you ask any player he will say the same. And if it keeps this way, there will be a moment where we have no other option, I really think, but let’s see. I don’t know what’s going to happen but it’s something that worries us because we are the guys that suffer.”



<h2>Leaving the national team early can be a smart move for one’s career</h2>



Players ditching their national teams with a Nations League or friendly fixture still to play are effectively striking against their national team. No, it is not in any bad blood, and these are often insignificant games that they will miss. Christian Pulisic, for example, performed well in Mauricio Pochettino’s debut. However, he is off to a sizzling start this season with AC Milan. To maintain that form, he cannot risk injury in <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/usmnt/preview-usmnt-carries-momentum-into-friendly-in-mexico/">a meaningless game</a> that will turn physical against Mexico. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1200" height="675" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20241015_WST_535204_Pulisic-Panama-1200x675_39f6b3e0.webp&amp;width=1200&amp;height=675" alt="" class="wp-image-535276" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/10/Pulisic-Panama-1200x675.jpg 1200w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/10/Pulisic-Panama-300x169.jpg 300w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/10/Pulisic-Panama-768x432.jpg 768w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/10/Pulisic-Panama-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/10/Pulisic-Panama.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure></figure>



When considering how many games these stars are playing, it is no surprise to see this decision. They only need to turn to other wear-and-tear injuries that have damaged star players. Pedri and Ansu Fati broke out as teenage stars at Barcelona. The club’s reliance on them and early performances with the Spanish national team led to hamstring injuries that Fati never recovered from. 



“When the amount of games starts getting bigger, the performance and quality are lower,” Rodri said.



Taking time off from the national team protects the players, and there should be no criticism for these players making this decision. Governing bodies in the sport at both club and international levels have done nothing to protect those who draw fans to spend money and watch. Therefore, the players have taken it into their own hands to look after their well-being. On the bright side, it comes at the cost of games that bear little to no significance for established competitions.



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Pulisic, Salah &amp; others: Stars prioritize clubs over national teams

The October international break featured a trend of players wisely priotizing health and safety over playing games with the national team.

Pulisic, Salah & others: Stars prioritize clubs over national teams

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Pulisic, Salah & others: Stars prioritize clubs over national teams