Sami Al-Jaber says he deserved a Premier League move

Sami Al-Jaber, one of Saudi Arabia’s greatest footballers, says he would have been good enough to play in the Premier League and believes his market value could have reached €100m had he played in the modern era.

The former Saudi Arabia and Al Hilal forward made the comments during an appearance on the television programme Nadina.

“If I had been around at this time, I would certainly have deserved to play in the Premier League,” Al-Jaber said.

He added: “If I were a player today, I believe my market value would have reached €100m.”

Al-Jaber is regarded as one of the most prominent players in the history of both the Saudi national team and Al Hilal, having enjoyed a career notable for its goals and success.

His comments come amid concerns over a decline in Saudi footballing talent, which has contributed to periods of underperformance for the national team. The most recent Gulf Cup triumph was noted as an exception to that downturn.