2023 marked a major turning point for the Saudi Pro League (SPL). The league’s aim to position itself as a globally competitive league reshaped both its domestic and the global football ecosystem. Cristiano Ronaldo’s move to Al Nassr FC brought international attention, followed by a wave of high-profile signings. SPL clubs spent close to a billion euros in the summer of 2023/24, significantly raising the league’s profile.
The SPL’s 2023 spending spree generated global attention, even if many signings were already past their peak age. The top 10 transfers by fee included Neymar (31), Otávio (28), Mitrovic (28), Fabinho (29), Milinković-Savić (28), and Mahrez (32), with Ronaldo (37) further raising the league’s average player age.
As of December 2024, data from Football Benchmark’s Player Valuation tool shows that the average age of SPL players (with at least 450 minutes played in the past year) stood at 28.8 years—noticeably higher than in Europe’s top leagues: Ligue 1 (26.4), Premier League (26.9), Bundesliga (26.9), Serie A (27.0), and La Liga (27.3).
It shall be however noted that, over the seven seasons preceding 2024/25, the average age of fee-paying transfers remained stable at around 27–28 years. This confirms that the challenge of post-peak age squads was previously present.
A Conscious Shift Towards Recruiting Young Players
Recognizing the need for long-term squad planning, the SPL quickly adjusted its approach, focusing on younger talent. Indeed, despite the SPL’s intense transfer activity in recent times, the league’s long-term transformation strategy had already been set in motion at this point, with this initial phase described as a foundation-building stage rather than an end goal.
As early as 2023, SPL’s Director of Football Michael Emenalo commented: "It's not a spur-of-the-moment decision; it's well thought out. The Saudi Pro League offers a new opportunity first and foremost for the entire industry, and I think it will create avenues for good competition and for more development of young talent."
Regulatory measures aimed at fostering youth development—particularly among local players—were introduced starting from the 2023/24 season. These included:
- Reduced squad sizes for players over 21, capped at 25 players per club.
- Lowered minimum age requirements, allowing 16-year-olds to be registered (previously 18 years).
- New foreign player regulations for 2024/25, allocating two international slots exclusively for players born in 2003 or later.
Both the strategy and initial experiences strengthened the case for these regulations.
Clubs faced challenges linked to an aging international player pool, high wages, and costly contract terminations, leading to a more measured approach in the 2024/25 season. The total summer expenditure dropped to around half of the previous season, and the profile of new recruits shifted significantly, with the average age of signings falling to 24.6 years.
The shift is further underscored by the fact that nine of the ten most expensive U23 signings in SPL history have occurred since the start of the 2024/25 summer window (six in summer, three in winter).
The financial value of younger players is well illustrated by Gabri Veiga, the only major international U23 player to move to the SPL before 2024. Despite suffering a significant ankle injury in February 2024, his market value remained above €30 million as of December 2024 — highlighting the resilience of young players' market value even outside Europe’s top leagues.
By the end of the 2024/25 summer window, all 18 SPL clubs had maxed out their quota of eight foreign players over the age of 21, while 16 of the 36 available youth international slots had also been filled. This limited opportunities for additional international signings, meaning new arrivals required the signature of young talent or the departure of existing players. As a result, clubs have begun moving some of their more experienced players, with notable departures such as Neymar, Seko Fofana, and Talisca during the January 2025 window.
In addition, beyond the headline-grabbing signing of John Duran from Aston Villa to Al-Nassr, all other U23 transfers remained below €10 million. These included notably transfers from Second Division sides in Spain (Aaron Martin, CD Tenerife, €1.4 million) and Belgium (Matheus Machado, SV Zulte Waregem, €2.9 million), as well as from FC Barcelona’s B team - Unai Hernández (€4.5 million), who is yet to make his professional debut.
The Way Forward
The SPL’s ambitions extend beyond global recognition. While enhancing its international profile and competitiveness remains a key priority, the league is also focused on developing Saudi football at all levels—a goal that has gained further urgency with the confirmation that Saudi Arabia will host the 2034 FIFA World Cup.
In fact, the SPL’s quick pivot to younger talent sets it apart from other emerging leagues. As a next step, a balanced focus on international recruitment and the development of domestic talent will be key to elevating both the SPL’s stature and the country’s footballing ambitions. This evolution will be crucial not only in enhancing the league’s global competitiveness but also in strengthening Saudi football as a whole.
