Stephen Hunt on how the Saudi League are aiming to take on the Premier League

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"They're taking on the Premier League."

On the latest episode of House of Football, Stephen Hunt and Alan Cawley joined Eric Lalor to discuss the Women's World Cup and Saudi Arabia's push to sign the world's most famous footballers. Former Ireland winger Hunt, who currently works as an agent, predicted that Saudi may take over football, the way LIV Golf's merger with the PGA upset the order in the sport.

Saudi Arabia's push to sign the world's best footballers.

The story of the summer so far throughout football has been the huge push by Saudi to bring in a rake of stars to play in their Saudi Pro League. So far, we've seen players like Karim Benzema, Ruben Neves, N'Golo Kante, Kalidou Koulibaly and Roberto Firmino join Cristiano Ronaldo in the league, with plenty more in the pipeline to join up this summer. Saudi's their intent is clear and it looks like they won't be stopping anytime soon. Hunt predicts more changes to come.

Stephen Hunt's prediction for the future of football.

"LIV Golf took on the PGA, and by hook or by crook they got their way. This is again similar," said Hunt, who now works as an agent. "They're taking on the Premier League, really this is the biggest way, most of the players [they're targeting] are in the Premier League. "I don't think this will be a big issue in two years' time, a bit like the golf, they'll bring each other together and it will all evolve into one. "The Premier League is going to be too strong anyway, so other leagues are gonna join other leagues eventually across Europe and nobody will rebel against it. "Whether it happens or not... I think it will." The prediction sounds eerily similar to the failed Super League proposal which saw huge backlash across Europe in 2021. Saudi's PIF investment into Newcastle United last year has seen them raise a considerable stake in the Premier League, and with intentions to invest into other teams across Europe, Hunt's prediction could well come true over the next few years.

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