Carragher, Neville’s naive demands over Chelsea and ‘game-changer’ Silva sum up Saudi problem

Jamie Carragher thinks Bernardo Silva would be a ‘game-changer’ signing for Saudi Arabia and Gary Neville wants a transfer ban. But the horse bolted long ago.

First they came for the Supercoppa Italiana and Supercopa de Espana, and the few who did speak out were fighting against a chorus of non-interest in glorified friendlies played hundreds of miles away.

Then they came for other sports, but the sheer magnitude of football safeguarded it against the sort of systemic transformation and irreversible change golf, boxing and others have had forced upon them.

Next they came for Newcastle, and people did say something.

Amnesty International warned the Premier League in April 2020 that it risked becoming “a patsy – a willing dupe of those trying to sportswash” their public image if the Saudi Arabian PIF’s planned takeover of Newcastle was ratified. Thick-skinned journalists have been routinely abused for more than three years over their diligent reporting on the abysmal human rights record of those who control the same sovereign wealth fund, as well as the lesser but still entirely prevalent and inherent concerns of integrity, transparency and competitiveness.

READ MORE: Fans too divided to stop PIF, Qatar, private equity from conquering football’s soul

The Premier League itself outwardly resisted the deal until it specifically did not. After 18 months of interminable delays, non-decisions and a complete absence of clarity, the purchase of Newcastle was confirmed on October 7, 2021. A day before, Saudi Arabia suddenly and completely coincidentally lifted a four-year ban on beIN Sport, settled its billion-pound legal disputes with the broadcaster’s host nation Qatar, and vowed to bring the controversial beoutQ piracy operation to a crushing halt.

After the Premier League confirmed it had “received legally binding assurances” that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia would not be in control of Newcastle because Yasir Al-Rumayyan – since described as ‘a sitting minister of the Saudi government’ in legal documents – would be chairman, the famously stringent Owners’ and Directors’ Test could finally be passed.

The Magpies have since reached a cup final, spent almost £250m across three transfer windows and qualified for the Champions League, with a probable record signing expected to arrive in due course as their highest ever earner.

After that they came for more names: Ever Banega, Ezgjan Alioski, Robin Quaison, Matheus Pereira, Moussa Marega, Ahmed Hegazy, Vincent Aboubakar and Anderson Talisca joined a burgeoning, ambitious Saudi Pro League, but shoulders were shrugged at irrelevant players favouring money over legitimate career prospects in the only place it matters: Europe.

Yet that is how it works. Saudi Arabia were given an inch and they took a mile. More recognisable faces joined the following year but the reaction was the same. The joke goes that guys can literally just sit around naming footballers and have the best time, the fun increasing incrementally as Luiz Gustavo, Helder Costa, Davide Ospina, Grzegorz Krychowiak, Adam Maher, Cristian Tello and Nuno Espirito Santo made the jump.

When they came for Cristiano Ronaldo, the overriding temptation was to declare the unofficial retirement of one of the sport’s greatest ever exponents. And as the Portuguese proclaimed earlier this month that “I think the Saudi league can be a top five league in the world” within the next five years, the wider world scoffed, mumbled something about the Chinese Super League and continued about its business, even as Karim Benzema joined him.

Manchester United benefited from Al-Nassr’s benevolence in taking Ronaldo off their wage bill when no European offers were forthcoming, much like Arsenal, Chelsea and Wolves are planning to exploit the loophole created by PIF taking control of the Saudi league’s four founding members.

The indelible and growing Saudi sway was largely accepted – still righteously opposed by those fighting a losing battle – when a) it was happening far enough away that it could be happily ignored, and b) the Premier League could take advantage. But the inevitable consequence of this gradual creep of influence is that the one-way street has opened up. As unfortunate and crass a turn of phrase as it is in these circumstances, Saudi Arabia are demanding their pound of flesh and The Biggest League In The World can hardly complain that the people they climbed into bed with want something more.

N’Golo Kante? That’s fine. We’ve had our fill. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang? Go for it. No loss there. Hugo Lloris? No problem. He’s not good enough anymore. Ruben Neves? I mean, he’s in his 20s and still really good, that’s not exactly part of the deal but fine.

Bernardo Silva? Hold up, let’s not take the piss here.

Bernardo Silva is in his peak years & has been one of the best players in Europe for the last five years!

I wasn’t worried about the Saudi League taking players in their 30’s, a touch worried with players below the elite (Neves) but if this happens it feels like a game changer… https://t.co/hcDUbkGp30

— Jamie Carragher (@Carra23) June 21, 2023

The line appears to have been drawn at a phenomenal cog in a Treble-winning machine being potentially lured away at the age of 28. Not at the ownership of an entire club, nor tournaments or dispensable players, but at someone really good and important and essential becoming as much a target as anyone of perceived worth.

Silva moving to the Middle East would be no ‘game changer’ – it would just be a different and more advanced level. The Premier League might have only recently picked up a controller but Saudi Arabia have been playing this for years and finding every shortcut towards completion.

It might start with Italian and Spanish Super Cups, or Ljubomir Fejsa, Julio Tavares and Nemanja Nikolic being tempted east, or Mike Ashley attracting enough disdain to make any buyer more appealing, but it was never going to end there. It’s called Saudi Vision 2030 for a reason and the second they got their foot in the door, it was already too late to show them the way out.

There can and will be no “instant embargo on transfers to Saudi Arabia,” the sort of which Gary Neville proposed. The horse has bolted, draped in a Newcastle flag with the world’s most famous and visible player saddled up for a ride which cannot be stopped now. The time for action was long before Silva became the latest to hop on the bandwagon, but greed and obliviousness can be irresistible. Some will continue to fight the good fight, even they know it was ultimately lost years ago.