France legend on Coman: "He wouldn't have got a second chance" | OneFootball

Kingsley Coman’s transfer to the Saudi Pro League has recently sparked much discussion. While critics accused the 29-year-old of moving his career to a less prestigious league too early, the Frenchman is now receiving prominent support.

Coman signed a three-year contract with Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia. For many fans, this was a surprising move, but Sylvain Wiltord can understand the decision. In an interview with SPORT1, the 51-year-old explained: “Let’s be honest: who would turn down such a lucrative offer?”

The former French international, who played for Bordeaux, Arsenal, and Lyon during his active career, pointed to Coman’s achievements in Munich: “King spent ten years in Munich. In today’s football world, that’s a rarity. He won everything with FC Bayern. The move to Saudi Arabia is understandable. It’s the right time. You only live once, and he might never have gotten a second chance.”

Wiltord also dismissed the often-voiced criticism about the sporting quality of the league: “The Saudi Arabian league has become more competitive year after year. You just have to look at all the famous names. It’s incredible, especially considering that now even young, talented players are earning their money there. At the last Club World Cup, you could see that these clubs are getting better and better.”

How much does Coman really earn?

Meanwhile, there are new details about the financial framework of the deal. Contrary to initial reports, according to the Saudi Arabian portal Arriyadiyah, FC Bayern received only 24 million euros in transfer fees. Additionally, Al-Nassr took over solidarity payments totaling one million euros to Coman’s youth clubs. Previously, there had been talk of nearly 30 million euros and possible bonus payments.

The reported figures regarding salary have also been put into perspective. While there was recently talk of up to 20 million euros per year, according to Arriyadiyah, Coman is set to earn “only” around 12.5 million euros per year. His contract in Riyadh runs until 2028.

In summary: Financially, the transfer brought FC Bayern less than initially expected, but for Coman, it was possibly the last opportunity to sign a long-term and lucrative contract. From Wiltord’s perspective, the decision is therefore absolutely understandable.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.