Will the Saudi Pro League become the best league in world football?

The summer transfer window has only been open for just over a week, and the main talking point is Saudi Arabia's heavy investment in Premier League players.

The Saudi clubs failed to lure Lionel Messi to the Saudi Pro League, with the GOAT moving to Inter Miami instead. However, plenty more top players are on their way to the Middle East.

Following Cristiano Ronaldo to the Saudi Pro League is former Ballon d'Or winner and Real Madrid teammate Karim Benzema, who has signed for Al-Ittihad on a deal worth $107.6 million a season.

Ngolo Kante became the latest edition to the Saudi league, with his former Chelsea teammates Edouard Mendy, Hakim Ziyech, Callum Hudson-Odoi, and Kalidou Koulibaly expected to follow suit.

Arsenal star Thomas Partey is linked with the league, with contract extension talks evolving in London and Wolves captain Ruben Neves finalizing a deal to join Al-Hilal.

In the football world today, the Saudi Pro League is considered to be a much lower standard than the top five leagues in European football, but that looks as though it will change.

The Saudis have an aggressive recruitment policy, attempting to complete a plan that will use football as a way to promote the country to outsiders and to win over its citizens.

Saudi Arabia has already succeeded in golf, luring major champions to the Saudi-backed LIV Golf, creating the first significant threat to the PGA Tour.

The kingdom's sovereign wealth Public Investment Fund has taken a majority ownership stake in four Saudi Pro League teams: Al-Ahli, Al-Ittihad, Al-Hilal, and Al-Nassr.

The Public Investment Fund is backed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and is described as a 'catalyst of vision 2030,' a plan to overhaul the Saudi economy.

According to thescore.com, the fund is worth around $700 billion, more than enough money to make the Saudi Pro League a football powerhouse in a short space of time.

The new primary focus on sports has led to accusations of sports washing, with the Saudi kingdom trying to rebrand its public image in the face of its human rights record.

Gary Neville told the BBC that "the Premier League should put an instant embargo on transfers to Saudi Arabia to ensure the integrity of the game isn't being damaged."

The Premier League has players on wages that other teams can't afford, but with the Saudi's heavy investment, they may be the only league that can convince top-quality players to play there and still earn the same or more than before.

The transfer window is still open till September, meaning many more players will be linked and potentially move to Saudi Arabia, wiping away all career ambitions and focusing on money.

Will the Saudi Pro League become the greatest league in football?