An Al-Adalah player went through a whirlwind of emotions last year after hearing his club had signed Mohamed Salah, only to find out it was the Liverpool winger’s namesake and not the man himself.
A host of footballing talent flocked to the Saudi Pro League in 2023. Cristiano Ronaldo completed his move to Al-Nassr shortly after the conclusion of the 2022 World Cup, while Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema, Chelsea trio N’Golo Kante, Edouard Mendy and Kalidou Koulibaly, and Wolves’ Ruben Neves have transferred to the Middle East in the early summer.
Several Liverpool players followed, with Roberto Firmino, Fabinho and Jordan Henderson making moves to Saudi and Sadio Mane joining Ronaldo at Al-Nassr.
Meanwhile, despite Salah signing a three-year contract extension at Anfield in 2022, he was still subject to a mega bid of around £150m from Saudi on the eve of the 2023/24 season. An offer Liverpool quickly rebuffed.
However Edson, a Brazilian defensive midfielder who plays for Al-Adalah believed his club had snapped up the Egyptian King himself when reading of his employers’ signing on June 24, 2023. Speaking to ESPN in his home country, he explained how he even celebrated the news at first.
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