Kylian Mbappe must learn to play as a central striker at Real Madrid because he cannot displace Vinicius Junior on the left wing.

Those were the words of Los Blancos' second-highest scorer of all time, Karim Benzema. 

Mbappe has scored eight goals in 14 appearances in all competitions for Madrid since his move from Paris Saint-Germain, but has failed to score in his last five games. 

The 26-year-old has been deployed in a more central role since under Carlo Ancelotti, as opposed to the wide role where he enjoyed success with the Parisiens. 

"The problem, in my opinion, is that [Mbappe] is not a central striker, even with the national team, every time he plays as a number nine he doesn't feel right, because that's not his position," Benzema said on Spanish television show El Chiringuito.

"On the left, he's got a guy who's at the same level as him, Vinicius, so there is a problem.

"You can't play Vinicius as a number nine or on the right, because when he plays on the left he makes the difference in every game.

"Mbappe isn't a real number nine. People ask a lot of him and he's under a lot of pressure, this isn't Paris Saint-Germain."

The France captain has underperformed his expected goals (xG) figure in LaLiga by 1.75 this term, recording a shot conversion rate of just 18.18% from his 33 total attempts.

He has also missed seven big chances, with only Real Betis duo Abde Ezzalzouli and Vitor Roque (both eight) and Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski (11) wasting more in LaLiga. 

In Madrid's last game, a 4-0 Clasico defeat, Mbappe recorded just 27 touches. Only Aurelien Tchouameni (24) registered fewer among those who started the encounter.

Benzema also endured a difficult start to life in the Spanish capital, netting just nine goals in his 33 appearances in all competitions in his debut season after his move from Lyon.

He would, however, go on to become one of Madrid's best ever players, scoring 354 times in 648 outings, a total that puts him behind only Cristiano Ronaldo (450) in the club's history. 

Benzema won 25 major honours during his time at the club, also scooping the Ballon d'Or in 2022, and had some advice for his compatriot moving forward. 

"Don't give up, because I don't think he's going to push Vinicius to move. He's the best player in the world at the moment," Benzema added. 

"Mbappe needs to get it into his head that today he's a number nine, and forget about the left flank for a while."

Mbappe will be back in action for Madrid on Tuesday when they face Milan in the Champions League. 

Al-Ittihad cut the gap on Saudi Pro League leaders Al-Hilal back to three points after Saturday's 3-1 victory over Al-Qadsiah.

Karim Benzema needed just seven minutes to open the scoring, though Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang soon restored parity with a 20th-minute finish of his own.

Moussa Diaby created Benzema's opener and found the net himself just past the hour, edging the hosts back into the lead after linking up with Houssem Aouar.

Substitute Mario Mitaj made sure of the victory nine minutes from time, helping Al-Ittihad to their sixth win in seven league games to start their campaign.

Data Debrief: Dazzling Diaby

Diaby has provided assists in his last five league matches (eight in total), matching the competition-leading streaks by Mishari Al-Thamali, with Al-Faisaly in 2014, and Carlos Villanueva for Al-Ittihad in 2017.

The former Aston Villa winger's eight assists are also the most in the first seven rounds of a season in Saudi Arabia's top-flight, marking history for Diaby.

His efforts helped Al-Ittihad to their fourth home win in seven league games to start a season, only managing to achieve this feat in the 2014-15 campaign, when they ended the term second.

Aleksandar Mitrovic's double helped Al-Hilal claim a 3-1 victory over rivals Al-Ittihad to move three points clear in the Saudi Pro League.

After just four games, it puts the defending champions in the driving seat while denting the aspirations of Al-Ittihad.

The Serbian striker had put the hosts ahead after just three minutes with a header from the centre of the box, having met Ruben Neves' deep cross from the right.

Mitrovic doubled Al-Hilal's lead from the spot just 11 minutes later after Abdulelah Al Amri brought Renan Lodi down in the area.

Al-Hilal increased the deficit to three before half-time as Salem Al Dawsari added to the scoreline in the 36th minute, receiving down the left from Neves once more before driving clear in the box and finishing coolly.

Karim Benzema fired home in the 85th minute, though it was nothing but a consolation for Al-Ittihad.

Data Debrief: Al Dawsari prolific in Saudi's big game

While Mitrovic, who has now netted 51 goals in 50 Al-Hilal matches, stole the show, Al Dawsari became the all-time top scorer in meetings between Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad across all competitions with 10 goals, in addition to providing seven assists. He has contributed to eight goals in the last 10 such matches (six goals and two assists).

These sides have now met 33 times in the Pro League, with Al-Hilal winning 17 times, Al-Ittihad on six occasions, and 10 matches ending in a draw.

Indeed, Al-Hilal, who mustered 2.16 xG to Al-Ittihad's 1.23, are now unbeaten in their last seven league meetings against their great rivals.

Karim Benzema's hat-trick helped Al-Ittihad maintain their perfect start to the Saudi Pro League season as they thrashed Al-Wehda 7-1 on Saturday.

Benzema opened the scoring in stunning fashion with just two minutes on the clock, curling a fine effort beyond the grasp of Ignacio de Arruabarrena. 

Houssem Aouar doubled the hosts' advantage, only for Youssef Amyn to half the deficit before Fabinho's header in the fourth minute of first-half injury time gave Laurent Blanc's side a comfortable advantage at the break. 

Benzema struck again shortly after the restart to notch his second of the encounter before Fawaz Al Yami netted Al-Ittihad's fifth nine minutes later. 

Substitute Saleh Al Shehri thought he had concluded the scoring in the 87th minute, but Benzema was not to be denied his treble. 

The Frenchman was provided with the simplest of finishes after Moussa Diaby's cross into his path, with the former Aston Villa man laying on four assists during the game.

Data Debrief: French connection

An emphatic triumph for the hosts saw them register an expected goals (xG) tally of 3.69 from their 15 shots, as their French forwards took centre-stage. 

Benzema contributed 1.29 xG to the hosts' total, with the Frenchman having more shots on target (five) and playing more passes in the final third (30) than any other player.

But his compatriot Diaby also impressed.

The 25-year-old ended the encounter having created more chances (five) than anyone on the pitch, with his eight touches in the opposition box the joint-most alongside Benzema.

Karim Benzema does not believe there is a team capable of being better than "best in the world" Real Madrid.

The Frenchman left Madrid in 2023 after 14 years in which he won 25 major trophies, including five Champions Leagues, five Club World Cups and four LaLiga titles.

He scored 354 goals for Los Blancos in 648 appearances before joining Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League.

Following his departure, Madrid won LaLiga and lifted their 15th Champions League title last season, and Benzema backs them to follow that up without a challenge.

"A spectacular season, very good," Benzema told Marca. "Real Madrid is always the best team in the world.

"Players come and go, but Real Madrid will always be at the top, at the very top. It is the best and will continue to prove it.

"It's the best team in the world. It's always strong and fighting for everything. I stand there, look around and don't see any team that's capable of being better.

"They have everything. Players, coach and president."

Benzema's old shirt number has recently been filled following the signing of Kylian Mbappe on a free transfer after his departure from Paris Saint-Germain.

He will slot into a team full of players being tipped to win the Ballon d'Or this year, with the likes of Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior among the favourites.

Benzema, who won the prize in 2022, has tipped the Brazilian to lift the individual award after he finished as Madrid's top scorer in all competitions, netting 24 goals.

"I'm going to say Vini because he deserves it for his season and not just for what he's done this year, but also for what he's done last year, he was also above the rest with his football and what he does with the ball. He's a kid, a complete footballer," Benzema added.

"He can win a game on his own, of course, with the help of his teammates, but he is very good when Real Madrid needs him and that is why I think he deserves it.

"He is always there, and he always shows up. For all of that, my favourite is Vini."

Laurent Blanc will be hoping to form a French connection with Karim Benzema and N'Golo Kante after his appointment as Al-Ittihad head coach.

The Saudi Pro League champions confirmed the 58-year-old's arrival on Saturday, with Blanc signing a two-year contract and the club holding an option for a further year.

Former France international Blanc was dismissed by Lyon in his last role, having stayed on for just under a year before his sacking came after losing three of four opening Ligue 1 matches in September 2023.

The former centre-back, who has also managed Paris Saint-Germain, is expected to make Houssem Aouar the first signing of his reign.

Aouar impressed for Lyon before earning a move to Roma, who are expected to part ways after just one season together following reports of a €12million deal plus add-ons.

Midfielder Aouar played for France before switching allegiances to Algeria, and the Les Bleus connection is said to have played a significant role in his move in tandem with Blanc's appointment.

Blanc also has fellow compatriots Benzema and Kante in his squad, as well as former Liverpool midfielder and Brazil international Fabinho.

Al-Ittihad pipped Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr to the Saudi Pro League title last season, winning the competition for the first time in 15 years.

Laurent Blanc will be hoping to form a French connection with Karim Benzema and N'Golo Kante after his appointment as Al-Ittihad head coach.

The Saudi Pro League champions confirmed the 58-year-old's arrival on Saturday, with Blanc signing a two-year contract and the club holding an option for a further year.

Former France international Blanc was dismissed by Lyon in his last role, having stayed on for just under a year before his sacking came after losing three of four opening Ligue 1 matches in September 2023.

The former centre-back, who has also managed Paris Saint-Germain, is expected to make Houssem Aouar the first signing of his reign.

Aouar impressed for Lyon before earning a move to Roma, who are expected to part ways after just one season together following reports of a €12million deal plus add-ons.

Midfielder Aouar played for France before switching allegiances to Algeria, and the Les Bleus connection is said to have played a significant role in his move in tandem with Blanc's appointment.

Blanc also has fellow compatriots Benzema and Kante in his squad, as well as former Liverpool midfielder and Brazil international Fabinho.

Al-Ittihad pipped Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr to the Saudi Pro League title last season, winning the competition for the first time in 15 years.

Champions League football is a simple game. Twenty-two men run around a field for 90 minutes, and in the end, Real Madrid always win.

Los Blancos claimed their record-extending 15th European crown at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, with late goals from Dani Carvajal and Vinicius Junior enough to see off a spirited Borussia Dortmund side.

The last six of those triumphs have come within the space of 11 years, following an agonising 12-year wait for La Decima, won in Carlo Ancelotti's first stint in charge in 2014.

Few clubs have enjoyed sustained success in Europe's elite club competition. Fewer still have built the kind of dynasty established by Madrid in recent years.

But how does their recent success compare to those of yesteryear, and how do their players and effortlessly cool Italian coach stack up against those who dominated Europe in the past?

Here, we take a deep dive into the Opta data to find out.

Europe's second-greatest side? 

Given the depth of talent found across Europe in modern times, the lure of the Premier League and the financial power of state-owned clubs such as Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain, modern-day Madrid can arguably lay claim to the most impressive run of success in European history.

To triumph in the world's most difficult knockout competition more often than not over the course of 11 years, while replacing stalwarts like Cristiano Ronaldo, Sergio Ramos, Karim Benzema and Iker Casillas, shows an incredible capacity for reinvention.

However, it might be incorrect to suggest Los Blancos' current crop are the most dominant team in European history. That honour goes to… well, Madrid.

Under the tutelage of Jose Villalonga, Luis Carniglia and Miguel Munoz, Madrid won the first five editions of the European Cup from 1955-56 to 1959-60.

That glorious era was capped by a 7-3 win over Eintracht Frankfurt in the 1960 final at Hampden Park, a game that has almost taken on mystical status, with Alfredo Di Stefano scoring a hat-trick and Ferenc Puskas upstaging him with four goals. 

While Puskas was only around for the last two of those five victories – also featuring in Madrid's sixth triumph in 1965-66 – Di Stefano was inspirational throughout the first five editions of the European Cup, his total of 36 goals coming in just 35 games and more than doubling that of his closest competitor (Crvena Zvezda great Bora Kostic, with 15).

Left winger Paco Gento was the only player to match Di Stefano's 35 European Cup outings during that time, and his longevity allowed him to play on until 1966 and become the first player to win six European crowns. Only on Saturday was that feat matched, with Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Carvajal and Nacho following in his footsteps.

Madrid went 32 years without lifting the European Cup after 1966, before the Galacticos delivered three titles in five years between 1998 and 2002, Zinedine Zidane's volley against Bayer Leverkusen being the defining moment of the club's second golden era.

Other sides can lay claim to a period of dominance in the European Cup, with Benfica (1960-61, 1961-62), Inter (1963-64, 1964-65), Liverpool (1976-77, 1977-78), Nottingham Forest (1978-79, 1979-80) and Milan (1988-89, 1989-90) all winning back-to-back titles. 

Ajax (1970-71, 1971-72 and 1972-73) and Bayern Munich (1973-74, 1974-75, 1975-76), meanwhile, both managed three-peats.

Madrid's recent run of success may have been broken either side of their own three-peat from 2015-16 to 2017-18, but only the great Blancos side of the 1950s and 1960s have previously won as many as six titles in an 11-year spell. 

If the likely arrival of Kylian Mbappe propels them to number 16 next year, modern-day Madrid will have a real claim to have upstaged their forerunners. 

Don Carlo: The undisputed GOAT 

When it comes to the men in the dugout, there is simply no debate. UEFA's flagship competition belongs to Ancelotti. 

Saturday's win was Ancelotti's seventh European crown overall, with two coming as a functional midfielder in Arrigo Sacchi's great Milan side and five arriving as a coach. 

That is as many titles as any other club has won, with Milan being crowned kings of Europe on seven occasions (four times with Ancelotti involved as a player or manager).

No other manager has won more than three European Cup/Champions League titles, with Bob Paisley, Zidane and Pep Guardiola joint-second in the charts. 

Ancelotti's three triumphs with Los Blancos, meanwhile, are the joint-most by any coach with a single club, alongside Paisley with Liverpool and Zidane with Madrid. 

The Italian has won 71.4 per cent of his Champions League games in charge of Madrid across two spells (45/63), while he has the most victories of any Blancos boss since the competition's 1992 rebrand. 

As a player and a manager, Ancelotti has experienced eight European Cup/Champions League finals and only failed to lift the trophy on one occasion. It took perhaps the most memorable comeback of all time to deny him, as Liverpool fought back from 3-0 down to beat Milan on penalties in 2005.

Madrid's European aura 

For all Madrid's success in the last decade or so, few would argue they have been the continent's most consistent or aesthetically pleasing side throughout that span. 

Sometimes, the weight of that iconic white shirt alone seems to be enough to drag Madrid through knockout ties, with almost 70 years of history causing Los Blancos' opponents to wilt at the crucial moment.

Most would hold Manchester City up as the absolute pinnacle of footballing excellence in the modern age, yet in the 2021-22 semi-finals, two Rodrygo goals within the space of 90 seconds were enough to undo 180 minutes of excellent work from Guardiola's team.

In 2023-24, City fired 33 shots at Andriy Lunin's goal over the course of 120 minutes at the Etihad Stadium, the most in any Champions League knockout game since Liverpool attempted 34 against Atletico Madrid in March 2020. But it was all in vain as Madrid clung on before triumphing on penalties.

It is difficult, impossible even, to explain Madrid's logic-defying European results with facts and figures. 

Saturday's final saw Dortmund produce 2.08 expected goals (xG) to Madrid's 1.13. BVB's first-half total of 1.68 xG was the largest on record in a Champions League final (since 2013-14) while Los Blancos did not record a shot on target before the break.

Across their last six Champions League knockout games of 2023-24, Madrid lost the xG battle on four occasions, only creating a greater quality of chances than their opponents in both legs of their semi-final triumph over Bayern. 

It was a similar story in 2021-22, when Los Blancos lost the xG battle in four of their seven knockout games including the final, when Thibaut Courtois' heroics kept Liverpool at bay.

Since the start of the 2010-11 season, Madrid have 'lost' 26 Champions League knockout games on xG, but boast a record of 11 wins, six draws and nine losses in those contests. 

If you fail to put them away, they simply will punish you. Why? A plethora of big-game players certainly helps… 

The men for the big moments

Having players well-versed in coming up with clutch moments has helped turn Madrid into a winning machine, almost making their performance levels irrelevant.

It all starts between the sticks. In Madrid's last two Champions League finals, Courtois has faced 12 shots on target but saved all of them, keeping two clean sheets. According to Opta's expected goals on target (xGoT) model, the Belgian prevented 3.4 goals in those matches.

At the other end, Madrid have put their trust in lethal finishers. 

In this season's Champions League, Vinicius (six goals from 4.49 xG), Jude Bellingham (four, 3.02 xG) and Brahim Diaz (two, 1.53 xG) all outperformed their underlying numbers, while Rodrygo (five, 5.71 xG) and Joselu (five, 5.44 xG) were not far away. 

In 2021-22, their charge was spearheaded by Benzema, who scored an incredible 15 goals from chances totalling just 8.35 xG. With five goals from 2.39 xG, Rodrygo was another notable overperformer.  

And of course, Ronaldo was at the forefront of their previous four triumphs. Between the start of 2013-14 and the end of 2017-18, he plundered 53 goals from just 42.9 xG in 50 Champions League matches. The fact he turned those chances into 51.4 expected goals on target (xGoT) only further demonstrates the supreme quality of his finishing.

It hasn't all been about the strikers, though. Who could forget the contributions of Ramos, whose last-gasp header saved Madrid from defeat in the 2014 final against Atletico?

Modric and Kroos, meanwhile, have dictated midfield battles at the highest level well into their thirties.

Kroos produced another metronomic performance in the final game of his club career on Saturday, leading all 22 starters for touches (108), passes attempted (94) and passes completed (91). Only Julian Brandt matched his four chances created, one of which was the corner-kick assist for Carvajal's opener. 

With Ancelotti – and Zidane previously – allowing some of the game's greatest improvisers to do their thing, sometimes the data goes out of the window. 

Ayoub El Kaabi will be the toast of Piraeus after his match-winning heroics secured Olympiakos' first-ever European trophy following their Europa Conference League success on Wednesday.

The Olympiacos striker delivered the fatal blow against Fiorentina, bundling home with four minutes remaining of extra time to snatch a 1-0 victory at the AEK Arena.

El Kaabi is the first player to score 11 goals in a single knockout stage campaign in major European competition since the introduction of group stages.

Radamel Falcao, Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema all only ever managed 10 such goals in one campaign of UEFA competitions, and El Kaabi moves next to greatness in another aspect, too.

The Moroccan forward is the first non-European player to score 14 goals in major European competition in a single season, since Lionel Messi in 2011-12 (also 14).

Olympiakos have their star striker to thank after becoming the first-ever Greek side to lift a trophy in major European competition, while Fiorentina will be wounded by another failure in this tournament.

Having lost to West Ham in last season's Conference League final, Fiorentina have now lost five of their last six finals in Europe, their only success coming against Rangers in the 1961 Cup Winners' Cup.

Defeat also ended La Viola's longest unbeaten run in Europe in their history, halting a 13-match undefeated streak in abrupt fashion.

What the papers say

Al-Nassr are planning to offer Manchester United a pair of “audacious” bids for midfielder Casemiro and defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka, the Daily Mail reports, in the wake of the Tottenham’s refusal to offload Emerson Royal to the Saudi league outfit.

Also from the Mail, Lyon are said to be targeting winger Arnaut Danjuma in the transfer window, as apparently the 26-year-old’s parent club Villarreal have become frustrated at his lack of game time while on loan at Everton.

According to the Sun, Manchester Untied are leading the race to sign Bologna’s Dutch forward Joshua Zirkzee despite interest from Arsenal.

Social media round-upPlayers to watch

Victor Osimhen: The 25-year-old has hinted that he is ready to leave Napoli, with Chelsea, Manchester United, and Real Madrid keen on the Nigerian, 90 Min reports.

Antonio Nusa: Newcastle are considering hijacking Tottenham’s proposed move for Club Bruges’ teenage forward, with Football Insider claiming he is seen as a direct replacement for Miguel Almiron who may leave Tyneside for Saudi side Al-Shabab.

Karim Benzema: Chelsea are interested in signing the 36-year-old French forward from Al-Ittihad, claims the Guardian.

What the papers say

French striker Karim Benzema could have his eyes on a move to England as early as this month, the Standard reports, with the 36-year-old said to be unhappy with how his time in the Saudi Pro League is going. However his high wages could prove to be a hurdle in the former Ballon d’Or winner’s move to either Arsenal or Chelsea.

West Ham are shaping up to be the frontrunners in the multi-national battle for Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips, according to the Standard. Juventus, Crystal Palace, Newcastle, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid have all reportedly expressed interest in the 28-year-old.

The Liverpool Echo says French team Lyon are looking to sign Villarreal’s 26-year-old winger Arnaut Danjuma, who is currently on a season-long loan at Everton.

Social media round-upPlayers to watch

Harry Maguire: Manchester United are reportedly considering a defensive overhaul in the summer with the club looking at options to sell the 30-year-old if a significant offer comes in for the defender, ESPN reports.

Pedro Porro: Manchester City are interested in bringing the 24-year-old Spanish Tottenham defender to the club, Football Insider says.

Al Ahly turned on the style in the second half to sweep aside Karim Benzema’s Al-Ittihad 3-1 and secure a place in the FIFA Club World Cup semi-finals.

Benzema missed a penalty that would have levelled the score at 1-1 just before half-time and the Saudi Pro League champions paid a heavy price for the wastefulness of their France striker.

Ali Maaloul had fired Al Ahly ahead from the spot – both penalties were awarded for handball – but it was the period after half-time that set the Egyptians apart.

First to strike at the King Abdullah Sport City Stadium was Hussein El Shahat with a curling shot into right of the goal that gave keeper Abdullah Al-Mayouf no chance.

And then came a slick finish by Emam Ashour after he had presented with a cutback by Kahraba.

Al Ahly suffered a late setback when Anthony Modeste was sent off for use of the elbow, meaning he will not be available for the semi-final against Fluminense, before Benzema grabbed a late consolation.

Karim Benzema created Club World Cup history by becoming the first player to score in four editions of the tournament as Al-Ittihad booked their place in the second round.

The former France international netted for the Saudi Pro League outfit as they won their first-round tie with Auckland City 3-0.

Benzema, who has enjoyed success in this competition with Real Madrid, put the finishing touches on victory that sets up a second-round match with Al Ahly.

The game was won with three goals in 11 first-half minutes.

Romarinho opened the scoring in the 29th minute with a deflected effort before former Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante doubled the lead five minutes later.

Benzema completed the scoring frenzy in the 40th minute to set up Friday’s tie with the African champions.

The huge spending of the Saudi Pro League has served as an extra motivation for players plying their trade in the Gulf state, says Fabio Martins.

Four Saudi clubs – Al Ittihad, Al Nassr, Al Hilal and Al Ahli – made huge moves over the course of the transfer window.

Karim Benzema, Neymar, N'Golo Kante, Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino, Fabinho, Marcelo Brozovic, Riyad Mahrez, Franck Kessie and Ruben Neves were among the big names to join Cristiano Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia.

Speaking at the Thinking Football Summit, Martins, a Portuguese winger who first played in Saudi Arabia in 2020 and now plays for Al Khaleej, believes the eyes of the world are now on the Saudi Pro League, and that is only an extra motivation for players who are able to go up against superstar names.

"It's impossible to not be excited to play against Cristiano, Neymar, Benzema, Firmino, Mane, a lot of stars that arrived, and they came with a lot of talent, a lot of quality, but they bring the visibility to the world," Martins told Stats Perform.

"Because I think I'm not afraid to say that the league is in top three or four of visibility because every person is speaking about this.

"Now, every person is excited to see what will happen here in Saudi. So all players here are excited too, are motivated to do the things well because all of us know that the eyes of the world are here right now."

Asked specifically about the impact Ronaldo has had since he joined Al Nassr last season, Martins said: "Oh, for sure, huge impact. He brings quality. He brings the visibility because for Cristiano to arrive in a country like Saudi Arabia, it brings the visibility, and like it or not, the professionalism is growing with Cristiano and now with the arrival of the other big players.

"I believe that is good for everyone here. I believe that it is good for the Saudi football. And I believe that the league and the country have potential to grow step by step for sure.

"Last year, when Cristiano arrives I was very happy because I never thought that I would be able to play against Cristiano, to speak with Cristiano. I was lucky because he gave me his shirt.

"We were there speaking like five or ten minutes about the country, about the things here in Saudi. So, we are lucky the people who are that are here are lucky to play against such big players because from Portugal we have now here Ruben Neves too, Otavio, Jota for example.

"So it's very special to play against these kinds of players and of course we are motivated to do the things."

Premier League chief executive Richard Masters is “not too concerned” for now about Saudi Arabia’s ascendancy in football as he reasoned it takes time to become a dominant force.

Al Hilal submitted a world-record £259million offer for Paris St Germain forward Kylian Mbappe, who has 12 months left on his current deal and been given permission to speak to the Saudi club.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema have already joined the country’s Pro League while Liverpool have agreed a deal with Al-Ettifaq – managed by Steven Gerrard – to sell their captain Jordan Henderson.

“Something new is obviously happening,” Masters told BBC Sport. “The Saudi Pro League have stated they want to be a top 10 league by 2030.

“They are investing in players and managers to try to raise the profile of the league and clubs.

“It has taken us 30 years to get to the position that we have in terms of profile, competitiveness and the revenue streams that we have.

“I wouldn’t be too concerned at the moment but, obviously, Saudi Arabian clubs have as much right to purchase players as any other league does.

“In the end, the Premier League is a £6billion-a-year operation in terms of revenue and that money is spent reinvested into the pitch. All good competitions have to have revenue streams to back them up.”