Author: Soorya G
Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard has become the latest member of the Saudi Arabian Professional League, with the Englishman signing on to become the new manager of Al-Ettifaq. The news was made official on Monday by the club via a statement on Twitter, and it was confirmed that Gerrard had signed a three-year contract with the Saudi team.
Gerrard had been looking for a club since he was sacked from Aston Villa and has now opted to sign with the Arabs, in what will be his third job as manager. Previously, he coached Scottish side Celtic and Premier League giants Aston Villa. His arrival signals a huge tectonic shift in world soccer, with several stars signing with Saudi clubs.
The change in soccer came after legendary striker Cristiano Ronaldo signed for Al-Nassr after his unsuccessful second spell with Manchester United. The Portuguese maestro has signed a contract worth around 200 million euros a year, as the Saudis try to break into the top flight of world soccer. Since then, several players have moved to Saudi clubs, including Karim Benzema, Ronaldo’s former teammate at Real Madrid, who recently joined Al-Ittihad. Ruben Neves also moved to Al-Hilal, while Senegalese defender Kalidou Koulibaly joined forces with Ronaldo at Al-Nassr.
Gerrard will be looking to get off on the right foot with his new team. The former Liverpool midfielder will probably see his move as a stepping stone to the top European clubs. Perhaps he will see Xavi Hernández’s time in Qatar as the model he will try to emulate, as the Spaniard is now incredibly successful at Barcelona, winning La Liga. His time at Aston Villa was not one of the most fruitful, and he will try to make amends by restarting what he hopes will be a managerial career that can match his brilliant playing career.