Featured Image Credit: Al Ahli & Saudi Pro League
Topics: Saudi Arabia, Vinicius Jr, Saudi Pro League
Josh Lawless
Topics: Saudi Arabia, Vinicius Jr, Saudi Pro League
Al Ahli have confirmed they attempted to make a game-changing, world-record signing in the summer transfer window - only for something unexpected to happen.
The Saudi Pro League side brought in the likes of Riyad Mahrez, Roberto Firmino, Gabri Veiga, Edouard Mendy and Franck Kessie in a busy summer window in 2023.
This time around they agreed deals for both Victor Osimhen and Ivan Toney - signing the former from Brentford for a fee of £40 million.
The Osimhen deal fell through and he ended up signing on loan for Turkish Super Lig side Galatasaray.
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But prior to that, Al Ahli were exploring the possibility of a signing that would arguably eclipse Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar moving to Saudi.
Reports claimed that Al Ahli were preparing to hand Real Madrid and Brazil star Vinicius Jr the biggest contract in sports history, with a £854 million package on the table.
And Al Ahli chief Khaled Al Issa has confirmed that the club were serious about acquiring Vinicius after allowing Allan Saint-Maximin to leave.
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But in the end priorities changed from a winger to striker as a result of the rise of Saudi Arabia international Firas Al Braikan, who did look set to move on at one stage.
Speaking to 'Koora Rotana', via Goal, Al Issa said: "The competent technical committee, which includes the technical director, decided to leave Maximin because it was easier in terms of the sale process, and the amount of the deal could be borne by any other club.
"There was a desire to bring in a very big winger, Vinicius, from Real Madrid, but during the negotiations something unexpected happened, which was the Saudi players leaving to go professional in accordance with the scholarship program, and the striker Firas Al-Braikan was scheduled to leave.
"Our priority shifted from the winger to the spearhead based on the departure of Al-Braikan, and we entered into negotiations with Ivan Toney and Victor Osimhen, and it ended with Toney's arrival."
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However, Al Issa has told fans that they club will be looking for a high-profile winger signing when the winter opens again in January.
He added: “Firas Al-Braikan did not enter the scholarship program and therefore continued with us. As a result, a void occurred in the wing position, and we will work to strengthen this position with a deal that exceeds the ambitions of Al-Ahli fans during the winter period.”
Toney, meanwhile, is in line to make his debut against Ronaldo's Al Nassr on Friday evening.
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The England striker is set to earn around £400,000-a-week tax-free in Saudi.