The Saudi Pro League’s (SPL) transfer strategy is set to change this summer with a focus on acquiring younger players after £784m was spent on stars last year.

Signing players who are coming to the end of their careers is no longer seen as sustainable with the SPL not wanting to be seen as a retirement home for ageing footballers.

If Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah wants to play in Saudi Arabia at some stage in his career, then the longer he leaves it, the less likely it is that any SPL club will pay a big fee for him.

Liverpool turned down a verbal offer worth more than £100m for Salah from Al-Ittihad right at the end of last summer’s window.

But the Egyptian did not want to leave Liverpool.

He will have one year left on his contract this summer and he will be 32 in June.

SPL clubs obviously remain interested in signing him – but only if he wants to move.

Foreign player slots are now used up, so SPL clubs will have to sell as well as buy players.

There are likely to be more internal deals between Saudi clubs as the league develops.