The Saudi Pro League’s leading clubs are facing some tough decisions with several high-profile stars now into the final six months of their contracts.
Many of those players are from the first wave of PIF-funded recruitment in the summer of 2023, when lucrative salaries and three-year deals – most of which were two years with the option of a third – were used to entice elite talent from European leagues.
Among those to sign such contracts were the Al Ittihad trio of Karim Benzema, N'Golo Kante and Fabinho, Al Nassr stars Sadio Mane and Marcelo Brozovic, the Al Hilal pair of Kalidou Koulibaly and Ruben Neves, and Al Ahli midfielder Franck Kessie – all of whom could leave for nothing this summer should they fail to agree fresh terms and extend their stay in Saudi football.
For those players, leaving the kingdom would likely lead to a substantial paycut, meaning new deals remain highly
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