![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Man-City-boss-Pep-Guardiola-1-1200x630-1-696x365.jpg\" "\\"Man-City-boss-Pep-Guardiola-1-1200x630\\"\/")
<\/div>\nThe Saudi Pro League\u2019s financial clout has \u201cchanged the market\u201d for transfers and elite clubs \u201cneed to be aware of what is happening\u201d, says Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola.<\/p>\n
After luring Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo to Saudi Arabia in December, the league has attracted several big-name players this summer.<\/p>\n
That group includes Algeria\u2019s Riyad Mahez, who\u00a0left City to join Al-Ahli.<\/p>\n
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\u201cSaudi Arabia has changed the market,\u201d said Guardiola.<\/p>\n
\u201cA few months ago when Cristiano [Ronaldo] was the only one to go, no-one thought this many top, top players would play in the Saudi league.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the future there will be more and that\u2019s why clubs need to be aware of what is happening.<\/p>\n
\u201cRiyad got an incredible offer and that\u2019s why we could not say \u2018don\u2019t do it\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n
City agreed to sell Mahrez in a deal worth up to \u00a330m while\u00a0Allan Saint-Maximin is set to become the next player to leave\u00a0the Premier League for Saudi Arabia when he joins Mahrez at Al-Ahli.<\/p>\n
Bayern Munich\u2019s\u00a0Sadio Mane is in talks over a potential move,\u00a0having received an offer from Al-Nassr, while reigning Ballon d\u2019Or winner\u00a0Karim Benzema\u00a0has already followed former Real Madrid team-mate Ronaldo to Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n
Earlier this week, Premier League chief executive Richard Masters\u00a0said\u00a0he \u201cwouldn\u2019t be too concerned at the moment\u201d about Saudi Arabia\u2019s growing influence in football.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is not about the threat, it is a reality,\u201d Guardiola added during City\u2019s pre-season tour of Asia.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey want to create a strong league and so far they are the league who can do it.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Premier League spent more than the others because the organisation of the Premier League is better and the broadcasts and the sponsors are higher than the other leagues, so the clubs can spend what they have.<\/p>\n
\u201cRight now, the Saudi league, I don\u2019t know how long they will sustain it, but the feeling is that they will stay. The players want to take this experience to play in that league and they are able to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Guardiola added that City \u201care not looking for a replacement for Riyad in terms of skill because every player is different\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will see what happens with loan players, and which players stay here. A few things are going to happen.\u201d<\/p>\n
Germany midfielder Ilkay Gundogan has also left City this summer, on a free transfer to Barcelona, and so far last season\u2019s Treble winners have only brought in Croatia midfielder Mateo Kovacic from Chelsea.<\/p>\n
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