Sports | Monday 22 January, 2018 2:01 am |

Sunday afternoon saw a continuation of the Saudi-Spanish partnership with nine separate loan deals announced involving clubs in the top two divisions of football on the Iberian Peninsula.

 

Nine players will head to seven different teams after the ceremony in Riyadh.

 

Yahya Al-Shehri has signed for Leganes with Marwan Othman heading to the club's junior ranks. Fahad Al-Muwallad has gone on loan to Levante whilst Salem Al Dawsari signs for Villarreal.

 

Jaber Issa joins Villarreal B whilst Segunda Division clubs have also been given a handful of players to utilise. Nooh Al Mousa has moved for Real Valladolid, Abdulmajeed Al Sulayhi heads to Rayo Vallecano, Ali Al Namer will sign for Numancia with Abdullah Al Hamdan sealing a switch to Sporting Gijon.

 

These deals are part of a project in which LaLiga, the General Sports Authority of Saudi Arabia and the Saudi Arabian Football Federation look to boost their respective football brands.

 

None of the players will arrive at any cost, nor will their salaries be paid by any of the Spanish teams involved.

 

In a statement released by LaLiga on Sunday evening, the process behind the deals was explained.

 

"The arrival of Saudi footballers in Spain comes after a rigorous scouting process," the statement read.

 

"Spanish clubs have worked for months to capture the player which best fits their team and improves their squad."

 

Mohamed Bin Salman, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, has been a big supporter of the partnership following the purchase of television rights to LaLiga in the country.