The Saudi Pro League has become a place where Premier League clubs can dump their deadwood in recent times.
However, their transfer window is set to close a lot earlier this year, which could have a negative impact on top-flight teams.
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Four of the teams in the league are bankrolled by Newcastle United‘s majority owners, the Saudi Public Investment Fund [PIF].
Combine this with the fact there are no financial rules, you get a very powerful player in the transfer market.
But compared to last year, they are going to have less time to flex their financial muscles.
When does the Saudi Pro League transfer window close?
There are suggestions that the Saudi Pro League transfer window stays open until October 6 this year.
However, talkSPORT understands that isn’t the case, with the window set to slam shut on Monday, September 2.
This is five days fewer than the 2023 summer window, which closed on September 7.
Couple this with the fact the Premier League transfer window is closing earlier on Friday, August 30, and you have an interesting situation.
Since PIF acquired Al Nassr, Al Ahli, Al Hilal and Al Ittihad in the summer of 2023, Saudi Arabian clubs have saved many Premier League teams by paying over-inflated fees for their deadwood.
Chelsea and Liverpool are among the teams that have sold players to Saudi clubs.
And with PSR still tight for many teams up and down the league, the chance to sell players to Saudi Arabian teams is an appealing one.
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But time is now running out for top-flight clubs to go down that route.
Can Premier League clubs still sell to Saudi Arabia after their deadline?
Yes, they can.
The closure of the Premier League transfer window indicates the end point for top-flight clubs to buy players.
Any transfer window that stays open longer can still buy Premier League players, but the selling teams wouldn’t be able to replace them until January.
However, clubs with bloated squads could use the Saudi Pro League as an opportunity to shed some deadweight.
But they’ll only actually have three extra days this year to make those moves happen.
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