Representatives of the Saudi Arabian championship this summer became the headliners of the football transfer market, luring top-tier stars to their league. However, it seems the main financial bombshell of summer 2023 is still preparing to explode.
Saudi clubs have already completed several high-profile deals recently. It all started with the winter transfer of Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo to Al-Nassr, which enticed the five-time Ballon d’Or winner with a salary of 200 million euros per year. In the summer, a true money portal opened in Saudi Arabia, sucking in new football stars one after another. Ruben Neves, N’Golo Kante, Hakim Ziyech, Marcelo Brozovic, Malcom, and many others chose the once exotic tournament and big money over a European career.
However, with plenty of time left until the transfer window closes, it appears the biggest news related to the Saudis’ blockbuster purchases is still ahead. The most stellar newcomer to this Middle Eastern championship could be the once most expensive player on the planet, French star Kylian Mbappe, whom Al-Hilal desperately wants to sign.
The likelihood of such a transfer is quite high. At least, analysts from betting company Fonbet, whose lines often feature odds on football transfers, have recently started believing more strongly in this scenario. Fans wanting to use their promokod on Fonbet to bet that Mbappe will start the new season at Al-Hilal have noticed that the probability of the move, according to experts, has risen to 35%. Previously, this figure did not exceed 10%.
What happened? The Saudi club wants to capitalize on the difficult situation Mbappe has found himself in at his current club, French PSG. The Parisians desperately want the 24-year-old to extend his contract, while Kylian himself wants to leave for Real Madrid as a free agent in a year. This has led to a conflict between the club and the player, which temporarily resulted in Mbappe not joining the team for their Japanese tour.
While the rest of the PSG players sweat in friendly matches, on which fans can place bets by adding events to Fonbet’s discounted expresses, Mbappe is pondering a very tempting offer. This proposal from Saudi Arabia, if accepted positively, could shatter several financial records in football history.
What is the essence of the offer? The Saudis are proposing a short-term contract for just one season, after which they are ready to let him go to Real Madrid as he originally planned. And now the key details:
- Mbappe would earn 700 million euros for a year at Al-Hilal – the record salary in football history
- PSG would receive 300 million euros for Kylian’s transfer – the record transfer fee in football history
- Mbappe would become the youngest athlete to earn a billion euros in his career
It’s something to think about. Even if Mbappe is still hesitant about moving to Saudi Arabia at 24, on the other side of the scale is missing an entire season if he stays at PSG and continues clashing with management.
So, what is better – a year without football and without 700 million euros, or a move to a not-so-football-focused country with 700 million as a very nice bonus? The answer seems obvious, though Mbappe’s hesitation is understandable. He’s not short of money and can make decisions based not just on financial motives.
