Cristiano Ronaldo boosted with Saudi Pro League set for major rule change that could open door for Ousmane Dembele, Vinicius, Mohamed Salah, and Robert Lewandowski
The summer horizon in Saudi Arabia is beginning to look very different. With Cristiano Ronaldo still the league’s defining figure, and names such as Ousmane Dembele, Vinicius Junior, Mohamed Salah, and Robert Lewandowski now being discussed in the same breath, a sense of renewed momentum is building. Behind the scenes, the league is preparing structural changes that could quietly reshape the transfer market—and, in the process, offer relief to Ronaldo as the competition enters its next phase of ambition.
For months, speculation has centered on who might become the next face of the project, the next signing capable of matching the global impact of Ronaldo’s arrival. What has remained hidden until now is how the league plans to make that leap realistically achievable.
When Cristiano Ronaldo arrived in Saudi Arabia in early 2023, the league forced itself into the global soccer conversation overnight. The deal was historic, both financially and symbolically, and it triggered a first wave of high-profile arrivals that leaned heavily toward established stars later in their careers.
That cycle is now nearing its end. Several of those early contracts are approaching expiration, and the focus is shifting. The league is no longer satisfied with reputation alone—it wants prime-age superstars who can elevate both performance levels and international credibility.
Salah, Vinicius, and the next targets
According to The Telegraph and journalist Ben Jacobs, Mohamed Salah and Vinicius Junior have been identified as priority targets in the next major transfer cycle. Salah’s name, in particular, has never fully left the Saudi radar, with a $206.5 million bid once rejected and fresh contact reportedly made again. Lewandowski’s name has also surfaced among a broader shortlist of elite foreign players, as the Saudi strategy pivots away from late-career recruitment and toward stars who can still define the highest level.
The ambitions do not stop there, as another name has emerged as a central target: Ousmane Dembele, the reigning Ballon d’Or winner. According to Sky Sports, preliminary inquiries have already been made for the Paris Saint-Germain forward, with any serious move expected only after the 2026 World Cup. The ambition is clear: a signing “on the level of Cristiano Ronaldo,” but younger, faster, and still at his peak.
Dembele’s profile fits the new vision perfectly. At 28, he is neither a farewell-tour signing nor a future project. After reinventing himself under Luis Enrique, he played a key role in a PSG side that lifted a historic treble, finishing as a decisive attacking force and collecting every major individual honor along the way.
The possible rule change revealed
Midway through the planning, the most important detail finally emerges. According to Saudi journalist Falah Al-Qahtani, the number of foreign players allowed in the Saudi Pro League is set to increase significantly next season, with a 90% chance that the limit will rise.
“The number of foreign players in the Saudi Pro League will be increased to 10 by next season,” Al-Qahtani reported, explaining that league officials believe the move is essential to raise standards and attract elite talent.
This is the quiet revolution. By expanding the foreign-player quota, the league removes one of the biggest obstacles to assembling squads filled with global stars. Suddenly, moves for players like Dembele, Vinicius Junior, Mohamed Salah, and Robert Lewandowski become far more realistic—not as isolated marketing stunts, but as part of a broader competitive structure.