‘Put an Instant Transfer Embargo’: Gary Neville Calls on PL to Halt Transfer of Players to Saudi Arabia – News18

Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville has called for a trade embargo on the transfer of footballers from the ambitious Saudi Pro League.

Saudi Arabia have been going big in the summer window as they look to bring in big-name signings to develop the status of the game in the Middle Eastern nation.

Neville’s comments come amid speculation that a stakeholder in the English club Chelsea has links to the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund.

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“The Premier League should put an instant embargo on transfers to Saudi Arabia to ensure the integrity of the game isn’t being damaged. Checks should be made on the appropriateness of the transactions”, the title-winning former Premier League full-back said.

Neville opined that thorough checks had to be undertaken to verify the integrity of the transfers and that the ownership structure at Chelsea had to be examined completely to ensure that things are being done in a proper manner.

“I do believe, at this moment in time, transfers should be halted until you look into the ownership structure at Chelsea and whether there are beneficial transfer dealings that are improper.”

Neville’s comments come on a day when Chelsea’s star midfielder N’Golo Kante completed a move to the Saudi Pro League side Al Ittihad, where he is set to join forces with former Real Madrid superstar Karim Benzema.

To make matters more interesting, Chelsea also seem to be on the verge of completing the transfer of three other big-name players from the Lonon side to the oil-rich Gulf state.

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Saudi side Al Ahli are interested in roping in Chelsea’s Senegalese goalkeeper Edouard Mendy and talks for the completion of the transfer of the 31-year-old shot-stopper are reportedly advancing well.

Compatriot Kalidou Koulibaly is also on the radar of the Arabian nation’s football project as Al Hilal have expressed interest in the acquisition of the defender, while Al Nassr have shown interest in the Blues’ Moroccan winger Hakim Ziyech and all three transfers are on the verge of completion.