Jamie Carragher says he is concerned about Saudi Arabia’s recent interest in Premier League players amid rumours that Bernardo Silva could be the next to make the switch.
N’Golo Kante has agreed terms with Al-Ittihad while Hakim Ziyech, Wilfried Zaha and Ruben Neves are reportedly close to replicating Al-Nassr star Cristiano Ronaldo’s January move to Saudi Arabia.
The mass transfer interest comes after Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) - Newcastle’s owners - bought four of the Pro-League’s most successful clubs earlier this month, making them into companies and giving them access to vast wealth.
Bernardo is being tipped to leave Manchester City this summer. Barcelona have been heavily linked in recent years, including this month, but reports now suggest that one of Saudi’s clubs are after the playmaker.
ALSO READ: Gary Neville makes Premier League plea amid Saudi investment
Carragher is concerned about the nation’s ability to recruit players who are at the peak of their careers, also citing their forays into boxing and the PIF-backed LIV Golf Tour’s merger with the PGA Tour.
Reacting to the Bernardo reports on Twitter, he wrote: “Bernardo Silva is in his peak years and has been one of the best players in Europe for the last five years!
“I wasn’t worried about the Saudi League taking players in their 30s, a touch worried with players below the elite (Neves) but if this happens it feels like a game changer.
“Saudi have taken over golf, the big boxing fights and now they want to take over football!! This sports washing needs to be stopped! @premierleague @UEFA.”
Fellow Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville has also voiced his concern about Saudi investment in Premier League players. He said earlier this week: “Any chance the Premier League can look into this Saudi trading like NOW!!!!
“Get a regulator in ASAP that’s agile enough to stop these things at source! If it doesn’t look right, it’s probably not right! Independence is required ASAP. The governance of our game is a mess.”
