Football Season Guide

The rising power from the west NEOM secured back-to-back promotions and are set to embark on their first-ever top flight campaign. After 12 consecutive years in the third tier NEOM found rich new owners and won back-to-back division titles to reach the top flight. Finished full 14 points ahead of the team in second place last season so their rise was never in doubt. Despite these successes for the first-ever top flight campaign brand new coaching staff and personnel will be there. Appointed the ex-PSG manager Christophe Galtier in charge this summer. He was given large transfer sum and splashed the cash almost exclusively in his homeland France to recruit a bunch of high-profile players. Lacazette and Berahman arrived together from Lyon and they promise lots of goals. Bouabré, joined from Monaco to fill the slot for an under 19 player. Kone and Doucouré were signed for substantial fees also to form the main double-six duo that will be used. Galtier favours a 4-2-3-1 shape, which is what NEOM used a lot last season anyway. New main goalie was found in Bulka, while the biggest fee of the lot was paid for 20-year-old centre-back Zeze. He will become a regular despite his young age. Expected to team up in most matches with vastly experienced Egyptian Hegazy. Despite the major overhaul the fact that Galtier brought in largely players he knows well, all of the foreigners added are French-speaking, should see the western most team in the top flight enjoy an impressive maiden season at this level. NEOM are among the very few teams that could actually start a game with 11 foreigners on the pitch. As the rules of the Saudi Pro dictate up to 8 foreign players age 21 or older, 2 foreigners 21 and younger, plus an extra one 19 or younger can be registered. The smart recruiting give NEOM exactly that.