RSL Explainer - Building A Squad for 2024-25

Now that you’ve gotten to know the mechanics of the Roshn Saudi League, what about its rules and regulations regarding squad composition?

How can Cristiano Ronaldo and Sadio Mane team up at Al Nassr? Or Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kante at Al Ittihad? Or Riyad Mahrez and Roberto Firmino at Al Ahli?

Or what impact does having Neymar, Yassine Bounou, Kalidou Koulibaly, Ruben Neves, Malcom, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Aleksandar Mitrovic have on the rest of the Al Hilal squad?

What's more, and equally as important, why is there such an emphasis on RSL clubs developing top young talent?

Well, then this is your one-stop shop for answers. Here’s an insight into how squads are being put together ahead of the hugely anticipated 2024-25 season curtain-raiser on August 22.

Squad Totals

In December, the Saudi Pro League (SPL) announced a change to the number of players registered in the clubs' squads competing in the Roshn Saudi League. The decision was taken in coordination with the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF).

The directive, which takes effect for the 2024-25 season, dictates that clubs register 25 players – down from the previous 30. There would also be an increase in foreign players, from eight to 10.

Squad Composition

The 18 clubs must abide by the following:

1. Eight non-Saudi players without an age limit.
2. Two non-Saudi players born in 2003 or after, to boost investment in young talent.
3. Each club continues to have the right to register one foreign player (born in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia), provided that he is born in 1998 or after.
4. Each club participating in the RSL has the right to register a maximum of eight non-Saudi players in the matchday squad in addition to one foreign player born in Saudi Arabia (except the King's Cup and the Saudi Super Cup competitions, where all registered non-Saudi players can participate).

The PACE Program

Launched last year as part of the SPL Transformation Strategy (more on this below), the Player Acquisition Centre of Excellence (PACE) provides, among other aspects of its remit, a centralised approach to transfers.

Headed by the respected Michael Emenalo, ex-Nigeria international and former technical director with English Premier League side Chelsea, PACE collaborates on international transfers with all 18 top-tier clubs - a process known as "squad mapping".

For more on the program, here's Saudi Pro League Vice Chairman Saad Al Lazeez.

“PACE was designed with seven steps, starting with the allocation of budgets, supporting the clubs to understand their technical needs, helping the clubs scout international talent, analysing scouted players’ data to assess their suitability for the league, governing the transfers and negotiations process, boosting acquired value through the sale of players’ contracts, and ending with a program to nurture players and their families to adapt to their clubs and environment.

"PACE is designed to be a collaborative tool for the management of foreign players and as a support system to supply clubs with elite international players with the skill and experience to raise the level of the league and take it to a globally competitive level."

On how the recruitment process actually works, Al Lazeez says: "The process always starts ahead of every transfer window by allocating budget. I would like to stress two things: budget allocation depends on a lot of variables available to us, and all 18 clubs are notified in advance about the allocated budgets to them through their official representatives.

“After that, we communicate with the clubs, sit with them to understand their needs and draw a road map identifying their technical requirements and priorities. The following step includes scouting targets and available players.

"At PACE, we allow the clubs to get to know the players; we do not direct players to join any clubs and have never done that. The clubs choose the players and we document that through request forms signed by the clubs and both the technical and financial department of the SPL.

“Once a player is selected and the green light was given to negotiate with them within the allocated budget, the club has the full freedom to negotiate the deal based on the player’s market value and the assigned budget.”

The role of PACE is not limited to transfers, though. In its first year, the program played a significant role in reviewing more than 200 contracts between Saudi clubs, foreign players and their agents. A full player welfare unit has also been set up within PACE, with the objective of taking care of the players from the moment they depart their previous countries of residence.

The program’s focus areas for the upcoming seasons include substantial investment in improving quality on the pitch, signing players under the age of 21, and growing the player-welfare program. PACE will also continue working on its centralised data system, which is aimed at helping improve the quality of sporting decisions and supporting the clubs to recruit top talent in football management.

Emphasis on youth

Ever conscious of ensuring pathways for young Saudi players will not be blocked by international additions at clubs, the minimum eligibility age to compete in the SPL was last season reduced from 18 to 16. That saw records broken, with Al Ittihad's Talal Haji becoming the youngest player to make a matchday squad and youngest to score in the history of the competition.

The SPL Transformation Strategy

The strategy, which aims to place the RSL among the top leagues in the world, comprises six pillars:

1. Establishing a leading governance model.
2. Enhancing the competition’s operations including broadcast and commercial rights.
3. Creating a framework for club development.
4. Setting up a player management ecosystem.
5. Nurturing the human capacity of the SPL as an organisation.
6. PACE program.