French football legend Emmanuel Petit believes that Norwegian striker Erling Haaland could eventually join a Saudi club, depending on how his career at Manchester City progresses in European football.
Haaland joined Manchester City in the summer of 2022 from Borussia Dortmund. At 24, he has already scored 100 goals in 106 matches for City.
The Norwegian striker won the "Golden Boot" as the Premier League's top scorer in the past two seasons and played a crucial role in Manchester City's Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League victories in the 2022-23 season.
Haaland has started the new season (2024-25) in remarkable fashion, scoring 10 goals in the first six rounds of the Premier League, leading the top scorers' list by four goals ahead of Cole Palmer.
Petit: We may see Erling Haaland in Saudi Arabia
Speaking to the French website "Top Mercato," Petit stated that Haaland may eventually play in the Saudi Pro League, saying, "I think one day we will see Haaland in Saudi Arabia, depending on his career development."
Petit mentioned that Haaland's move to Saudi Arabia could be delayed due to his current focus on achieving success in European club football, as the Norwegian striker may not be able to make history at the international level with his national team, ranked 47th globally.
Petit, a 1998 World Cup winner with France, suggested that Haaland's potential move to Saudi Arabia might be motivated by reasons other than financial gain.
Haaland currently earns an annual salary of over 20 million euros with Manchester City, making him one of the highest-paid players in European football.
The Saudi Pro League, also known as the Roshn League, has recently become a major destination for international stars. Since Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr in early 2023, players like Karim Benzema, Neymar Junior, Riyad Mahrez, and Sadio Mane have followed suit and moved to Saudi clubs.