da dobrowin: Kevin De Bruyne, Mohamed Salah and Son Heung-min will be the priority targets for the Saudi Pro League as clubs prepare to spend around £2 billion.
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Saudi clubs to spend big in summerSalah, De Bruyne & Son on target listPro League teams to splash out £2bnWHAT HAPPENED?
The Manchester City, Liverpool and Tottenham stars have been earmarked as the top targets for clubs in the Middle East as they look to attract more big names to the league, Ben Jacobs reports. The Saudi Pro League attempted to lure Salah away from Liverpool last season, but the Premier League side refused to sell, while De Bruyne was been highlighted as a possible signing earlier this season.
AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Reigning Saudi champions Al-Ittihad offered a reported £150 million for Salah last summer but Liverpool were not willing to let him go. The Egypt star remains a pivotal player for the Reds, scoring 14 goals in 20 Premier League matches. The Saudi Arabia dealmakers are confident that they can lure the 31-year-old to the Middle East but landing him this summer is no guarantee.
DID YOU KNOW?
De Bruyne will not be an easy signing for the Pro League either. He recently returned to Pep Guardiola's team after missing sustaining an injury in the first game of the season. His contract at City, like Salah's at Anfield, runs until 2025 but Guardiola is reportedly eager to extend his deal. As a result, City would demand an enormous fee.
Son was also quizzed on a prospective move to Saudi Arabia last year but the South Korea and Spurs sensation downplayed the idea.
GettyWHAT NEXT?
The Saudi Pro League is willing to spend a further £2bn ($2.5bn) on new transfers in the summer transfer window as they look for new stars to join the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Neymar.