Connect with us

Business

Saudi spending in transfer window second only to Premier League

Published

on

Spread the love

[ad_1]

AFP

Saudi Pro League (SPL) clubs have splurged $957 million on players in the close season transfer window, according to analysis from Deloitte published on Friday.

Saudi clubs’ spend in the transfer window, which closed on September 7, exceeded the spending of four of Europe’s ‘big five’ leagues with only the Premier League ahead of the Middle Eastern nation.

“This marks the first time since 2016 that another international league has outspent any of Europe’s ‘big five’ during a football transfer window…,” said Izzy Wray of Deloitte’s Sports Business Group.

“European football continues to be the benchmark for the game globally, and the Saudi investment in the game will divert its focus towards the infrastructure, to elevate the level of Asian football.”

Earlier this year, the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) announced a Sports Clubs Investment and Privatization Project involving the league champions Al-Ittihad, Al-Ahli, Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal, with a host of top players moving to the league.

PIF own 75 per cent of each of the four clubs, while their respective non-profit foundations own 25 per cent of each.

This window’s biggest transfer move came from the most successful club in Saudi Arabia, Al-Hilal, who spent 90 million euros to bring in Brazil star Neymar from Paris St Germain.

In addition to Neymar, Al-Hilal also spent big money to sign Aleksandar Mitrovic, Kalidou Koulibaly, Ruben Neves and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.

Saudi Pro League champions Al-Ittihad signed Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kante and Fabinho, while Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr splashed out on Otavio, Sadio Mane, Aymeric Laporte, Marcelo Brozovic and Alex Telles.

Al-Ahli, who returned to the Pro League following a season in the second division, also completed a string of signings including Gabri Veiga, Riyad Mahrez, Roberto Firmino, Edouard Mendy, Alain Saint-Maximin and Merih Demiral.

“The implementation of the Kingdom’s privatisation programme is likely to draw a wave of interest around the SPL, potentially fueling the current spending pattern for the windows to come,” Wray said.

“With the spending power of the SPL already surpassing some of Europe’s ‘big five’, it remains to be seen the impact this will have on the make-up of elite football for future generations.”

For all its expenditure, the SPL still missed out on some of its biggest targets.

Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah was a target for Al-Ittihad, who reportedly had a bid worth 150 million pounds ($187.10 million) turned down by the Premier League club, while ambitious bids from Al-Hilal for Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe failed to materialise.

Saudi Arabia has made massive investments in football, Formula One, boxing, tennis and golf in recent years.

[ad_2]

Source link

Announcements

Dubai property boom fuels ANAROCK’s Middle East expansion plans

Published

on

Spread the love

ANAROCK Group has announced a major leadership reshuffle as it looks to expand its footprint across the Middle East and Europe, with a strong focus on Dubai’s growing real estate market.

The independent real estate consultancy said the appointments come as the region enters a new phase of growth, driven by rising investor confidence, infrastructure expansion and increasing demand across residential and institutional real estate sectors.

New leadership appointments

Anuj Kejriwal has been appointed CEO, EMEA, while continuing his current role as Founding Partner and Head of Retail Advisory.

In his expanded position, Kejriwal will oversee the rollout of ANAROCK’s institutional advisory services across the Middle East, including capital markets, land services, consulting and valuation.

The company said Dubai will act as the launchpad for its wider regional expansion strategy before moving into broader European markets.

Meanwhile, Aayush Puri has been named CEO – Residential, Middle East and CEO of ANAROCK Channel Partner (ACP).

He will lead the firm’s residential business across the region while continuing to oversee the international operations of ANACITY, the group’s proptech and property management platform.

Focus on Dubai’s growth

According to ANAROCK, Dubai’s real estate market remains one of the key long-term growth drivers for the company, supported by strong economic fundamentals and sustained investor demand.

The firm also plans to hire senior local talent across consulting, residential and capital markets divisions as part of its expansion push.

Anuj Puri, Chairman of ANAROCK Group, said the leadership changes reflect the company’s commitment to strengthening its regional presence and capturing new cross-border opportunities in one of the world’s most dynamic real estate markets.

Continue Reading

Announcements

New women-focused platform launches in Dubai with regional expansion plans

Published

on

Spread the love

A new women-focused platform has officially launched in the UAE with ambitions to become one of the GCC’s leading ecosystems for female empowerment, entrepreneurship and community support.

FEMPOWERMENT was founded by Kirsten Jenna Michaels and Alexander Sailer and aims to support women through business opportunities, coaching, education and networking initiatives.

Launched in Dubai, the platform combines community events, business launch support, workshops, coaching programmes and large-scale experiences designed to help women grow personally and professionally.

At the centre of the initiative is the Women’s Business Launchpad, a programme created to help women set up and scale businesses in the UAE through partnerships with banking, licensing and business service providers.

Founder and CEO Kirsten Jenna Michaels said the platform was designed to move beyond traditional empowerment messaging and focus on creating real opportunities for women.

The platform also features tiered membership programmes offering access to networking events, certifications, workshops and coaching experiences, alongside promotional opportunities for female-led businesses.

Co-Founder Alexander Sailer said the long-term vision is to build a scalable ecosystem that helps women access funding, launch ventures and create sustainable growth opportunities across the region.

Alongside its business and networking focus, FEMPOWERMENT has also pledged to support social impact initiatives, including plans to provide meals for 1,000 labour camp workers in the UAE and contribute to healthcare and education-related causes.

The organisation plans to expand across the GCC and international markets as part of its broader growth strategy.

Continue Reading

Business

New DP World insurance protects cargo from conflict-related disruptions

Published

on

Spread the love

DP World has launched a first-of-its-kind cargo war risk insurance solution designed to help businesses navigate growing disruption across Middle East trade routes.

The new offering aims to solve a major challenge facing global shippers, as traditional war risk insurance has become increasingly expensive, fragmented and, in some cases, difficult to access amid ongoing regional tensions.

Unlike conventional policies that typically cover only one stage of a shipment’s journey, DP World’s solution provides continuous protection across the full supply chain, from ocean or air transit to port storage and inland delivery.

Coverage across the full journey

The insurance covers physical loss or damage caused by war-related risks, including conflict, civil unrest, seizure and derelict weapons. Valid claims will be settled with zero deductible, according to the company.

“This is about solving a real, immediate problem for global trade,” said Yuvraj Narayan, Group CEO of DP World.

“Supply chains don’t stop at the port or the shoreline, and neither should insurance.”

Key trade routes included

The programme is available to companies trading in or through the Middle East. It is designed to support supply chain continuity across major trade corridors, including the Arabian Gulf, the Red Sea and nearby inland routes.

Businesses can choose several coverage options, including:

  • End-to-end cargo protection across sea, air and land transit
  • Standalone ocean, air or land policies
  • Automatic port storage cover for up to 14 days
  • Coverage limits of up to $400 million per shipment

Lower premiums for businesses

DP World said it was able to secure more competitive pricing than standard market war risk premiums by leveraging its global scale and relationships across international insurance markets.

The move comes as businesses continue to face rising logistical risks, rerouting challenges and insurance costs linked to geopolitical instability across key global shipping lanes.

Continue Reading

Popular

© Copyright 2025 HEADLINE. All rights reserved

https://headline.ae/