Robert Lewandowski and Kevin De Bruyne among names who rejected Saudi Pro League this summer

Saudi Pro League is behind Premier League in most spending in summer window

This summer, a number of well-known footballers turned down offers from Saudi Pro League teams, including Robert Lewandowski and Kevin De Bruyne.

Saudi Arabia became a significant player in the summer transfer market, exceeding just the Premier League around the major European leagues with teams from the Saudi Pro League investing upwards of £700 million on new players.

The Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) said it will acquire 75% of the league's four largest clubs, Al-Ittihad, Al-Ahli, Al-Nassr, and Al-Hilal, with the goal of luring a number of elite players to the league, which prompted the recruitment campaigns.

Neymar, Karim Benzema, and N'Golo Kante were among the high-profile additions, and after moving to Al-Nassr in January, Kante accompanied Cristiano Ronaldo in the Saudi Pro League.

Al-Ittihad's £150 million attempt to acquire Mohamed Salah from Liverpool fell through, and according to Fabrizio Romano, Saudi clubs made offers for a number of high-profile players, notably Kevin De Bruyne of Manchester City and Robert Lewandowski of Barcelona. In preference of staying in Europe, each declined offers, just like David Alaba of Real Madrid did.

13 players, featuring Riyad Mahrez, Roberto Firmino, Edouard Mendy, and Alain Saint-Maximin, moved from the Premier League to the Saudi Pro League. They all joined Al-Ahli.

Lewandowski had a fantastic debut season in Spain in 2022–2023 with 23 La Liga goals as Barcelona won the league for the first time after 2019 and the 35-year-old had no plans to leave.

Although his current contract with Barcelona continues through 2026, he may leave in the summer of 2021 if his performance suffers over the next several months.

The 32-year-old has made 96 goals and 153 assists in 358 competitive games for Pep Guardiola's team, and last season, with 18 assists in the league's top division, he won his third Premier League Playmaker title.