Saudi League ‘determined’ to succeed: executive

LONDON: The Saudi Pro League is "determined to be a success" and will keep splashing the cash to attract some of the biggest names in football, according to one of its top executives.

Clubs in the oil-rich Gulf state have lured global stars, with Karim Benzema, Jordan Henderson and Sadio Mane among those following in Cristiano Ronaldo´s footsteps Last month Al-Hilal made a 300-million-euro ($328 million) bid for Kylian Mbappe, though the Paris Saint-Germain striker reportedly refused to meet with officials from the club.

The influx has taken place despite frequent criticism that Saudi Arabia´s lavish spending amounts to "sportswashing" -- an attempt to shift the focus from its record on human rights.