idk, maybe they want to be more of a destination league than a selling league, like Liga MX is for a huge chunk of the Americas?
I see you won't answer the question. Or even try to.
Thanks.
Entirely different business model and incentives at play in the Saudi league, compared to typical league where teams attempt to recoup on their assets where possible.
In the Saudi instance, their clubs have always had a backstop from their Government or wealthy royal sponsors so never really had to operate like financially prudent or viable entities. As a result they had very little reason to try to move their players abroad and agitated against the idea whenever floated. For the players themselves, the best always made huge wages and were stars at home, so had very little incentive to move abroad. The only feeder club dynamics are internal, where smaller clubs outside of the big 3 sell their best young talent to Al Hilal/Ittihad/Nassr.
I actually agree that this dynamic has capped the development for their best players, who could have used the competition and experience they would get abroad. Part of the argument for the latest experiment is by recruiting top quality foreigners to the league, the Saudis themselves will get tested and improve their level. But the fact Saudi players dont go abroad, isn't simply about talent level. Totally right about that IMO.
To a lesser extent, you have a similar phenomeon in Egyptian football, where best players often see joining Al Ahly/Zamalek as the pinnacle of their career. Even now vast majority of their NT is domestic-based. Would still favour them head to head against a domestic-based US team.