Rafael van der Vaart reacts to Saudi Professional League transfers

Former footballer Rafael van der Vaart has expressed mixed emotions regarding the transfers of Tijjani Reijnders and Crysencio Summerville to the Saudi Professional League. While he understands the financial motivations behind the moves, he noted that the sporting aspect is a loss, stating, “the enthusiast in me is crying.”

Van der Vaart acknowledged the massive scale of the current offers, noting that the sums involved are significantly higher than previous opportunities in China or Qatar. He admitted that, given the choice to secure lifelong financial stability, he would have made similar decisions during his own career, despite his personal preference for staying in European football.