Al Hilal’s CEO Esteve Calzada expressed confidence in the club’s squad for the Club World Cup, despite not securing any high-profile signings in the lead-up to the tournament. He noted that negotiations with several desired players fell through due to inflated financial demands.
The Riyadh-based club, supported by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, let marquee signing Neymar go earlier this year. However, they still feature notable talents such as Ruben Neves, Joao Cancelo, Aleksandar Mitrovic, and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.
In contrast to Real Madrid, who reinforced their lineup with Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Manchester City, who signed Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki, Al Hilal did not make any significant European signings during the designated transfer window for the tournament.
_______________________________________________
Sponsored:
FIFA Club World Cup – Every Match Free, exclusively on DAZN.
Click here to start streaming.
_______________________________________________
The club’s most significant acquisition ahead of the opening match against Real Madrid in Miami on Wednesday was the appointment of Italian manager Simone Inzaghi earlier this month.
“This is the first time we’ve navigated this transfer window… It has been challenging for us to find our footing, particularly in securing the right coach (Inzaghi) to lead the team through the tournament,” Calzada shared in an interview with Spanish newspaper Marca, published on Friday.
“We have a budget to adhere to, and it is true that some players or agents struggle to understand that… There has been considerable activity, yet ultimately we haven’t finalised any deals.”
When asked about the hurdles they encountered during the short transfer window, given the club’s reputation for lavish spending, the CEO indicated that players were asking for too much money.
“Firstly, we have great faith in our team, and secondly, circumstances have not aligned, including the fact that some individuals have unreasonable expectations about the fees they’re quoting; they seem to think we can meet any demand,” he stated.
“In reality, what a player can earn in Saudi Arabia will generally exceed what they could make in Europe. However, we do not possess unlimited resources, nor do we have money to spare.
“Indeed, we have lost chances to acquire players because they assumed financial backing was limitless, but we are committed to managing the club sustainably and reasonably.”
Following their match against Real Madrid, Al Hilal will face Austria’s RB Salzburg and Mexico’s Pachuca in Group H.
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
Fanpage: SportArena.com.au.
LiveScore – Live Sports Results & Odds.
