サウジリーグ 「１０人以上」のベテランスター選手獲得へ　情報筋

【リヤド（サウジアラビア）ＡＦＰ＝時事】サウジアラビアのサッカー界は、クリスティアーノ・ロナウドを獲得し、リオネル・メッシやカリム・ベンゼマに触手を伸ばしているが、ルカ・モドリッチやウーゴ・ロリスといった有名選手の確保も目指している。契約交渉に近い情報筋が明かした。（写真はルカ・モドリッチ）
　Ｗ杯開催の野望を抱き、厳格なイメージの刷新を目指しているサウジアラビアは「１０人以上」のベテラン選手にアプローチしているという。
　国内の情報筋と国営テレビのアルイフバリヤによると、前週末に所属クラブで最後の試合を終えたフランス・リーグ１、パリ・サンジェルマンのメッシと、スペイン１部リーグ、レアル・マドリードのベンゼマの契約を取り付けるため、代表団が現地に飛んだという。
　匿名を条件に取材に応じた関係筋は、サウジアラビアがその中で「Ｗ杯や欧州チャンピオンズリーグを制した多くの選手が来季のサウジリーグに参加できるよう、１０人以上の選手と接触している」とし、上記の２人に加えて「セルヒオ・ラモス、アンヘル・ファビアン・ディ・マリア、モドリッチ、ロリス、ヌゴロ・カンテ、ロベルト・フィルミーノ、ジョルディ・アルバ、セルヒオ・ブスケッツ」がリストアップされていると述べた。
　オファーは高額なもので、サウジ側は８月１１日の新シーズン開幕を前に「ほとんどの契約の成立」を目標にしているという。
　リストアップされた選手はキャリアの晩年に差し掛かっているスター選手で、最年少は３１歳のフィルミーノとなっている。また、イングランド・プレミアリーグのトッテナム・ホットスパーとの契約が１年残っているロリスを除いては、全員が今月限りで契約満了を迎える。
　情報筋によると、この契約は６２００億ドル（約８６兆円）以上の資産を持つサウジアラビア政府系基金パブリック・インベストメント・ファンドによって進められているという。
　モドリッチやラモス、カンテ、アルバ、ブスケッツは契約締結間近だといわれている。
　契約を結んだ選手たちはアル・ヒラル、アル・ナスル、アル・シャバブ、アル・イティハド、アル・アハリの５クラブに振り分けられるという。情報筋は、モドリッチとラモスはロナウドが所属するアル・ナスルに加入し、カンテはアル・イティハドでプレーするだろうと述べた。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2023/06/06-16:03）

Saudi Arabia is hoping to lure a swathe of world-famous footballers including Luka Modric and Hugo Lloris, a source close to the negotiations has told AFP, after snagging Cristiano Ronaldo and launching bids for Lionel Messi and Karim Benzema.
More than 10 seasoned players including N'Golo Kante and Roberto Firmino have been approached, the source said, by the oil-rich kingdom which has ambitions of hosting the World Cup and is betting on sport to help revamp its austere image.
According to Saudi sources and state media this weekend, delegations flew to Paris and Madrid to secure the signatures of Messi and Benzema after their final games for Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid.
But the Saudis are also in contact with more than 10 players, many of them won the World Cup or the Champions League, to join the Saudi league next season, said the source close to the talks, on condition of anonymity.
In addition to Messi, the list includes Benzema, (Sergio) Ramos, (Angel) Di Maria, Modric, Hugo Lloris, Kante, Firmino, (Jordi) Alba and (Sergio) Busquets.
Beside receiving quite lucrative offers they will play in a very competitive league, the source said, adding that the Saudis aimed to seal most of the deals before the new season starts on August 11.
Such a wishlist would have seemed unthinkable before the Saudis pulled off the signing of Ronaldo, 37, in January on a two-and-a-half-year deal said to be worth more than 400 million euros.
Last month, a source close to the Messi negotiations told AFP that his signature was a done deal, describing the terms of the agreement as huge.
- Sovereign wealth fund -
All the players listed are major stars at the tail-end of their careers, Firmino being the youngest at 31. Apart from French goalkeeper Lloris, who has a year left at Spurs, all are out of contract this month.
According to the sources, the contracts are being bankrolled by the Saudis' Public Investment Fund, one of the world's biggest sovereign wealth vehicles with more than $620 billion in assets.
If the players sign, they will be divided between five Saudi clubs: Al Hilal, Al Nassr, Al Shabab, Al Ittihad and Al Ahly, the sources added.
Modric, Ramos, Kante, Alba and Busquets appear the closest to signing, they said.
Modric, Real Madrid's influential midfielder, and Ramos, who is leaving Paris Saint-Germain, would join Ronaldo at Al Nassr, while Kante would play at Saudi champions Al Ittihad, the sources added.
The Saudi Pro League, which next season is expanding to 18 teams allowed to field eight foreign players each, is also set for a structural revamp with plans to privatise the clubs from September.
The clubs, currently public property under the supervision of the sports ministry, will be sold to private companies or businesspeople as part of plans to more than double the league's value to eight billion riyals ($2.13 billion) by 2030.
The Saudi Pro League... will be supported in its ambition to be amongst the top 10 leagues in the world, the official Saudi Press Agency said on Monday.
- 'Elevate the Saudi clubs' -
A Saudi government official also confirmed to AFP that the authorities are holding negotiations with world-class players.
The objective is to establish a very strong and competitive league and elevate the Saudi clubs' levels, the official said.
The world's biggest oil exporter has already thrown hundreds of millions at sports deals including Ronaldo's signing, Formula One and the divisive LIV Golf tour, drawing frequent claims it is sportswashing its human rights record.
Saudi Arabia, whose neighbour Qatar hosted the World Cup last year, has explored bidding for the competition including a possible tri-continental hosting with Egypt and Greece.
Under the Vision 2030 project of its 37-year-old de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia is trying to diversify its oil-dependent economy by attracting tourists and investment.
We want people to visit Saudi Arabia to watch football stars, the source close to the Messi negotiations told AFP last month.
While not well known internationally, the Saudi league enjoys a strong following in a country where more than half of the 32 million population -- 51 percent -- is under 30.