The players are two of 23 footballers who have swapped the Premier League for the heat of Arabia and massive tax-free pay rises.
Not many people predicted the big defection of footballers from Europe to the Saudi Pro League last summer - except maybe the Saudis themselves and a handful of key agents. In all, 23 players swapped the Premier League for the heat of Arabia and massive tax-free pay rises. Aleksandar Mitrovic and Ruben Neves left Fulham and Wolves respectively to join Al Hilal with no regrets. Mitrovic, originally from Serbia, said: 'After seven years in England I think the first thing was the sun.
But former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson struggled with the move from Liverpool to Saudi and lasted less than six months at Al-Ettifaq. Mitrovic says it probably helped that he's moved countries several times. 'I had to leave my country at an early age. And when you come to a different league, I used to play in Belgium from Serbia then to the Premier League. I think no matter where you go you need time to adapt, for the football, the family, the life.
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