8legs: Mohamed kader meite

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Saudi clubs have a new strategy: buy up France’s best young footballers

Saudi Pro League clubs are targeting France’s under-21 talent as a new core strategy, buying young prospects from Ligue 1 clubs.
Monaco and other Ligue 1 clubs have sold young players like George Ilenikhena to Saudi clubs for significant fees to stay afloat financially.
Rennes sold Mohamed Kader Meité to Al-Hilal in January for €30m, illustrating the transfer market pivot.
The Saudi strategy extends beyond salaries, combining big transfers with a model to develop talent for potential returns to Europe.
Clubs describe France as the world’s biggest hotbed of talent, fueling Saudi demands for young French players.
The pattern follows a shift away from Europe-only development toward cross-border talent pipelines tied to Saudi funding.
Football executives acknowledge the new Saudi market entry as a stabilizing, though controversial, financial development for Ligue 1 clubs.
The transfers include multiple players and clubs, with several moves noted in the January window and ongoing negotiations.
Agents describe the move as offering guaranteed playing time and career progression, beyond mere salaries.
Saudi clubs aim to balance immediate profits with a pathway back to European football for these players.
The article frames the strategy as a response to declining French broadcast revenues and new league structures.

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