"The Governance of our game is a mess" - Gary Neville urges PL to investigate Saudi clubs as 3 Chelsea stars edge closer to moving to Middle East
Former Manchester United player Gary Neville has raised concerns regarding the enormous sums of money that Saudi Arabia is pumping to sign Premier League players this summer.
A host of players from the English top flight have been linked with moves to the Middle East. According to Sky Sports, Riyadh-based Al-Hilal have reached an agreement to sign Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Ruben Neves for a fee of £47 million.
Other players rumored to be joining the Saudi Pro League include the Chelsea trio of Kalidou Koulibaly, Edouard Mendy and Hakim Ziyech.
Koulibaly, 32, is being linked with a move to Al-Hilal, while Ziyech, 30, is rumored to join Cristiano Ronaldo at Al-Nassr. Meanwhile, Mendy has reportedly agreed personal terms with Jeddah-based Al-Ahli.
All three players have not had the best of times in London, and with Chelsea needing to trim their squad this summer, it's no surprise that they are linked with moves away from the club.
The Blues are also set to lose veteran midfielder N'Golo Kante, who will be joining Saudi Pro League team Al-Ittihad. Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano confirmed on Monday (June 19) that the Frenchman had signed a four-year deal with the club.
The rumored moves for the Chelsea stars have particularly caused controversy, as Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) is a major investor in Clearlake Capital, which bought 60% of the west London club during the takeover in 2022.
Highlighting the need for a regulator to put a check on any irregularities, Neville wrote via his Instagram account:
"Any chance the Premier League can look into this Saudi trading like NOW!!! Get a Regulator in asap that's agile enough to stop these things at source!"
He added:
"If it doesn't look right it's probably not right! Independence is required asap. The Governance of our game is a mess!"
Chelsea defender Kalidou Koulibaly agrees personal terms with Al-Hilal
According to Goal, Chelsea central defender Kalidou Koulibaly has agreed personal terms with Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Hilal. The report suggests that the transfer fee for the player remains to be agreed upon by both clubs.
Koulibaly's new deal will see him earn £300,000 a week in wages, nearly doubling his salary with the west London club. The Blues hope to receive up to £25 million for the defender, who's still under contract until 2026.
The Senegal international made 23 league appearances and scored two goals over what was a forgettable 2022-23 season for Chelsea. The Blues finished in 12th place with their lowest-ever points tally (44) in Premier League history.