The kingdom’s pursuit of the world’s best soccer players has unleashed a feeding frenzy among agents and executives. One Saudi is trying to bring order to the chaos.
Soccer is the ultimate prize in Saudi Arabia’s push in sports. Karim Benzema’s signing offered a glimpse of the price tag. Lionel Messi’s rejection showed its limits.
The acquisition of Benzema is part of a billion-dollar project to lure global stars to Saudi Arabia’s top league and expand the kingdom’s sports profile.
A coordinated effort financed by the kingdom’s Public Investment Fund is offering huge paydays to some of the sport’s biggest stars if they join Saudi Arabia’s best teams.