The Chinese Super League caught the world’s attention after its clubs spent an estimated $300 million to become the competition with the largest winter outlay.Headline deals included Jiangsu Suning’s €50m (Dh205m) capture of Brazilian playmaker Alex Teixeira from Shakhtar Donetsk, plus the €42m (Dh172.2m) purchase of Atletico Madrid and Colombia striker Jackson Martinez by champions Guangzhou Evergrande.
Ahli lavished a UAE-high €17m (Dh81m) on Fenerbahce forward Moussa Sow last summer and Al Naboodah believed this represented the upper limit in his nation for the foreseeable future.
He said: “To be honest with you, I think we are sticking to what we do best. I do not think, as Al Ahli, we will change anything in our budgets.
“We are sticking to what we are doing. We might improve players, in terms of investing in other players.
“I do not think we will run the numbers which China are doing. I do not think we will increase.
“€17 or 20 million, some clubs in the UAE can afford it. I do not think you will see it every season.
“You will see these deals every three or four seasons for a special player.”
The Arabian Gulf League currently boasts a plethora of star foreign names. These include injured ex-Juventus striker Mirko Vucinic at Al Jazira, Ahli’s Brazil playmaker Everton Ribeiro and Algeria forward Ishak Belfodil at Bani Yas.
The acquisition of such players has been long term throughout the division.
Ahli themselves have previously brought in internationals such as Portugal midfielder Hugo Viana, Brazil striker Grafite and Chile playmaker Luis Jimenez.
Al Naboodah insisted the timing of this transformation is a key reason behind why the UAE’s ‘golden generation’ have enjoyed an upturn in recent years, while China are poised to exit the World Cup 2018-qualification process at the second round.
He said: “You see, I think there are two ways of looking at China. For instance, if you look at the national team it is not as successful as their clubs.
“What makes the clubs better in China – and I think they will improve even more – is the quality of non-Chinese players.
“I think the UAE has taken these steps, which are huge. If you compare from 2009 the non-UAE players and today’s non-UAE players, I think a lot of clubs have improved in signing better-quality players.
“This won’t stop. The quality will go up of the star players the UAE gets in their teams.
“On other hand, since 2009 the UAE players have improved a lot. That is the key.”
Ahli top the AGL by one point with five games left and were narrowly beaten by Evergrande during the final of the 2015 AFC Champions League.
The Dh60m acquisition of UAE defensive midfielder Khamis Esmail in January also exemplified their ceaseless ambition.
“I think in football in general, if you want to be a team who every year is competitive and always playing for trophies, you have to keep investing,” Al Naboodah said. “You cannot stop.
“The day you do, other teams catch you up and run you over.”
