Shocking Transfer: Ruben Neves Shocks Football World with £47m Megadeal for Al Hilal Move in Saudi Arabia

Al Hilal has completed the signing of Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves in a deal worth £47m. Personal terms have been agreed upon, and an official announcement is anticipated to be made this week. Neves, who had previously considered a move to Barcelona, is now receptive to joining Al Hilal.

"Let's wait and see how things unfold. While I truly cherish being here, it's no secret that my desire is to participate in Champions League football," Neves expressed, addressing his future uncertainties towards the conclusion of the season.

"For me and my family, achieving our primary objectives in football is of utmost importance."

Neves, the Portugal midfielder, showcased his talent by scoring six goals and providing one assist in 35 Premier League matches for Wolves in the 2022/23 season. Having joined the club from Porto in July 2017, he has since made an impressive 253 appearances for Wolves.

Neves is set to join a growing list of renowned players making their way to the Saudi Pro League, with his national team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo already having made the move to Al Nassr in December last year.

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Karim Benzema completed his move to Al Ittihad earlier this summer

Karim Benzema, the current Ballon d'Or holder and a former player of Real Madrid, has made a move to Saudi Arabia during this summer transfer window. The 35-year-old striker has joined Al Ittihad, a team managed by former Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo, after spending 14 years with Real Madrid.

There have been reports indicating that Saudi Arabia is showing interest in Chelsea's trio of N'Golo Kante, Kalidou Koulibaly, and Hakim Ziyech. Additionally, clubs in the Gulf State are considering Riyad Mahrez from Manchester City as a potential target.

Ceferin: Saudi Pro League no threat to European football

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin stated on Sunday that European football should not be concerned about players leaving for Saudi Arabian clubs. He expressed his belief that the country's strategy of investing in aging stars is a misguided decision.

Several top football players, including Ronaldo and Benzema, have recently signed lucrative deals with Saudi Arabian clubs, receiving hundreds of millions of dollars. This year, similar offers were also extended to Lionel Messi and Luka Modric, both of whom have been dominant figures in football, having collectively won every Ballon d'Or award since 2008. It's worth noting that all these players are at least 35 years old.

Following the majority ownership takeover of four prominent Saudi Arabian clubs by the Public Investment Fund, led by Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, it is anticipated that more players will be enticed to join these clubs in the near future.

"I believe that the potential player exodus would predominantly harm Saudi Arabian football," stated Ceferin, the UEFA president, in a Sunday interview with Dutch broadcaster NOS, when questioned about his concerns regarding this matter.

They view this as a problem because their focus should be on investing in academies, hiring coaches, and nurturing their own players.

He further emphasized that relying on buying players, especially those nearing retirement, does not contribute to the development of football. This same mistake was made in China, where they brought in players who were already past their prime.

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