Al Ittihad failed in a late approach for Mohamed Salah, but Al Khaleej winger Fabio Martins believes the Egyptian will be in the Saudi Pro League soon enough.
Liverpool turned down a bid reportedly worth up to £150million for Salah, who Jurgen Klopp was determined not to lose late in the transfer window.
It has been speculated that Al Ittihad – who signed Karim Benzema, Fabinho, Jota, Luiz Felipe and N'Golo Kante – will return with another bid for Salah in the coming 12 months.
Salah is an icon of the Arab world, and Martins hopes to soon go up against the 31-year-old.
"If this transfer happens, it will be another big star arriving here to the country," he told Stats Perform at the Thinking Football Summit.
"Playing against Salah would be very special too. It didn't happen [this time] but I think in the next market in January, they will try for sure again to bring him, and let's see what happens.
"I will be very happy because Salah is a player that I like, he's similar to me, because of the hair, the way he plays. So, I like Salah, and I hope that he comes to Saudi."
Saudi's wealth was not enough to draw Lionel Messi to Al Hilal, with the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner instead electing to join Inter Miami.
Martins, though, has not given up hope of Messi joining Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar in the Pro League.
"Messi is a player that I like so much. But I understand, Messi had a plan in his head about his career, what he wants and he went to Miami," Martins said.
"But for sure, if Messi arrived here in Saudi, the league with big stars like Cristiano and Messi, and now with Benzema and Neymar, it will get to a level that was never seen before.
"Let's see if Salah comes, he's a big player too. I believe that in the next market, they will try to bring some big players and let's see what will happen."
It is not just players that Saudi clubs have attempted to lure from Europe, with coaches also heading to the Gulf state. Those have included former Rangers and Aston Villa boss, and Liverpool great, Steven Gerrard, who has helped Al Ettifaq sign Jordan Henderson, Georginio Wijnaldum, Moussa Dembele and Demarai Gray.
Martins added: "You saw Gerrard go to Al Ettifaq and bring good players like Henderson, Gray, Moussa Dembele.
"In Al Shabab now with [Yannick] Carrasco, [Roman] Saiss. I think step by step the league will grow and for sure it's important to bring coaches that have the potential to make the players grow to the next level, and I am sure that the league step by step will grow."
Committee considered tougher sanctions for ‘inexcusable’ Luis Rubiales conduct
The committee which imposed a three-year ban on former Spanish Football Federation president Luis Rubiales for his conduct at the Women’s World Cup final said it had been tempted to impose a more severe sanction.
A FIFA disciplinary committee said Rubiales had acted with “a sense of complete impunity” at the Spain v England match on August 20 in Sydney.
He grabbed his genitals in celebration of Spain’s victory while stood in the VIP area and kissed midfielder Jennifer Hermoso on the lips during the medal presentation. Hermoso has said she did not consent to the kiss.
The committee, which imposed a ban on Rubiales on October 30, said in the written grounds of its decision: “All incidents assessed collectively, (together with Rubiales’ position in relation to them) appear to reveal a sense of complete impunity on the part of the respondent within the football environment.
“It was absolutely and categorically expected of him to maintain and embody the highest levels of professionalism, beyond the usual standards, especially at a moment where his country was at the apex level of women’s football.
“In this regard, the committee could not stress enough that – regardless of the emotional state he was in during and after the match – (Rubiales’) behaviour was inexcusable and unacceptable, especially considering his high rank within the football ecosystem at the time.
“While taking into account the undeniable media impact of (Rubiales’) behaviour and its repercussions on the reputation of football as well as of FIFA, but also and more importantly, on (Hermoso’s) mental state, the committee considered that a ban for a duration of three years was justified.
“The committee wished to stress that it was tempted to impose more severe sanctions in view of the seriousness and gravity of the incidents at stake as well as of the profound negative impact that (Rubiales’) actions had on the image of FIFA, women’s football and women’s sport in general.”
Bayern Munich agree deal to sign Bryan Zaragoza from Granada for 2024-25
Bayern Munich have agreed a five-year deal to sign Bryan Zaragoza from Granada ahead of the 2024-25 season.
The 22-year-old Spain international joined the LaLiga side from Conejito de Malaga in 2019 and began his senior career on loan for a season with Ejido before returning to Granada, where he has so far made 51 appearances during his time there.
This season he has featured in 14 league games for Granada, who are currently second-from-bottom in the table, scoring five goals and providing two assists.
He made his senior Spain debut in October against Scotland in the Euro 2024 qualifiers and Bayern sporting director Christoph Freund revealed the forward has been on the club’s radar.
Speaking about the move, Freund said: “Bryan Zaragoza is an explosive, very quick and extremely nimble winger, who can play on either side. He’s unpredictable, can score and is very good one-on-one.
“He’s already made his senior debut for Spain this year and has a lot of potential. Bryan is one of Spain’s up-and-coming players and has been on our radar for a while.
“He’ll increase our attacking options. We wish him the best of luck for the rest of the season with Granada and look forward to him joining us in the summer.”
T&T miss out on Gold Cup prelims after 0-1 defeat to Mexico in Group A of League A
Trinidad and Tobago missed out on a spot in next year's Concacaf Women's Gold preliminary stage, as they went down 0-1 to Mexico in their final Group A fixture in League A of the Gold Cup qualifiers at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, on Tuesday night.
Needing a win to secure second position in the group, the Soca Ladies fought gallantly, but couldn't take what would have been a famous three points off the Mexicans, who had the all-important strike through Cristina Ferral.
With the win, Mexico topped the group with maximum 12 points from four games and join Costa Rica, Panama, United States and Canada, among others in the Group stages of the inaugural Women's Gold Cup. Puerto Rico, with four points, secured a berth in the preliminary stage, while Trinidad and Tobago end with a solitary point in the three-team group.
Despite an expected dominant first half display, Mexico had to wait until the latter stages of the half to break the deadlock, and they did so in style.
Ferral collected a ball out outside the area and smashed a right-footed strike into the top right corner in the 40th minute.
The visitors tried desperately to add to their lead in the second stanza but found Trinidad and Tobago's defenders and goalkeeper Simone Eligon in a defiant mode.
In fact, Eligon produced a diving save to deny Jacqueline Ovalle's 63rd-minute effort, and she again came up big with another series of saves in the final quarter-hour to keep her side in it.
But her efforts were in vain as the twin island failed to get on target, and, as such, Mexico snared all three points.
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