Multiple sources in several Saudi League clubs revealed to Asharq Al-Awsat that there is a delay in issuing approvals from the Elite Player Recruitment Program, which caused the collapse of deals for more than one club among those affiliated with the Ministry of Sports.

According to the governance of the recruitment program, obtaining the program's approval for deals financed through it is a prerequisite for completion; the five-member Recruitment Committee does not allow any deal to be completed before it is reviewed and approved.

More than one source in the clubs claimed that the delay in the review process caused the collapse of more than one deal under study, as players did not wait for the procedures to end and signed with other clubs during the waiting period. The sources also reported that there are a number of deals currently pending with the Recruitment Committee, despite clubs having completed their agreements with all parties, pending the program's approval, amid fears among some clubs that their deals will collapse due to the delay in response from the Elite Player Recruitment Committee.

According to Asharq Al-Awsat sources, the committee studies the financial cost of each deal and does not allow clubs to sign players simply by agreeing on the transfer fee and salaries. Instead, it requires an evaluation of the player in terms of transfer value and salary, then determines the value it approves. If the agreement is lower than the committee's evaluation, it is approved. If it is higher, clubs are given the option to pay the difference from their own budget or from other funding sources, not from the club's budget allocated under the recruitment program, even if the club has a surplus in the program's budget.

Based on Asharq Al-Awsat's inquiry regarding reported delays in reviewing club requests under the recruitment program, the Saudi Professional League (SPL) stated that there is no delay on the part of the program team in processing requests that meet the requirements, stressing that a club submitting a request for deal approval does not necessarily mean approval will be granted; all requests are subject to review based on the documents and financial and contractual information provided by the club.

The league clarified that the approved procedures are clear to clubs, and that completing the requirements and submitting the necessary documents and information is the club's responsibility. The program cannot be held responsible for any delay or failure resulting from the club not meeting the approved requirements.

The league also indicated that the movements of the majority of clubs during the current transfer period are proceeding normally and without disruption, which confirms that the procedures do not pose an obstacle to clubs that meet the requirements.

The league stressed that these procedures were put in place to protect clubs and ensure the soundness of their contractual decisions, after previous experiences showed the need for clearer controls to prevent clubs from undertaking unstudied financial commitments, thereby ensuring their financial sustainability and preserving fairness of procedures among all clubs.

Special sources confirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat that the Spaniard Jesus Arroyo, advisor to the CEO of the Saudi Professional League, has taken over the management of the program, succeeding Aminalo, who left the Saudi Professional League.

Clubs in the Saudi Roshn League have completed 28 official deals during the current summer transfer period, while seven clubs have not yet announced any deal: Al-Nasr, Al-Shabab, Al-Ittifaq, Neom, Al-Hazm, Al-Fateh, and Abha.