Mitoma rejects Saudi Arabia to show more to football than money

Modern day football has become a depressing place where money is everything and whoever has it king. Even if they are a nation state who execute 81 men in a single day. All hail Kaoru Mitoma then for showing there are still football players out there who care about more than their bank balance by rejecting Saudi riches to remain a Brighton player.

In what has proven a whirlwind 24 hours, Mitoma has been the subject of intense interest from Al Nassr, one of four Saudi Pro League clubs state-bankrolled by the Public Investment Fund.

The Albion rejected an initial bid of £54.4 million for Mitoma. Al Nassr then returned with an offer of £75 million. They were willing to pay up to £90 million for Mitoma, which would have made Mitoma the 11th most expensive footballer of all time.

Although Brighton said they had no interest in selling Mitoma in the January transfer window, £90 million would surely have tempted Tony Bloom to reconsider his stance.

It would appear though that the decision was taken out of Bloom’s hands somewhat. Mitoma had no interest in moving to Saudi Arabia despite the astronomical wages he could have earned, making it easy for the Albion to reject any further advances from Al Nassr.

The Saudi club have subsequently ended their interest. Mitoma joins a very, very small pool of players who have rejected oil money.

Cristiano Ronaldo for example earns a cool £173 million per year at Al Nassr, having moved to the Saudi Pro League because of its high standard and wanting to grow the sport. Obviously.

Jordan Henderson went on a personal crusade to improve Saudi Arabia’s attitude to LGBTQ+ rights and not to pocket £350,000 a week.

Henderson’s mission was so successful that he ended it after only six months, abandoning Al Ettifaq to return to Europe with Ajax.

Mitigating circumstances for Ronaldo and Henderson were that both are at the end of their careers. Having won the biggest prizes, why not give up their morals for one last, bumper pay day?

No such excuse for Aston Villa striker Jhon Duran, who has joined Al Nassr for £64.5 million from Aston Villa. 21-years-old. 12 goals in 29 games for Villa this season.

An exciting immediate future with a Villa side in the knockout stages of the Champions League. His long term prospects as bright as anything at the highest level of the sport in Europe. All swapped for a wage reported to be five times what he was on at Villa.

Of course, we should not be surprised that Mitoma is different from most others. His ambitions have never been about money.

Mitoma turned down the first professional contract he was offered to instead go to university, where he wrote that famous thesis on dribbling.

It proved a good decision. When Mitoma eventually joined Kawasaki Frontale, his ability to glide past opponents with ease instantly marked him out.

The skill has proven transferable to Europe. First on loan with Union Saint-Gilloise. Then in the Premier League, where Mitoma has now scored more goals than any other player from Japan.

Mitoma wants to look back at a career stacked full of similar achievements in which he made the most of his talents. Rather than swelling a bank balance via an incomprehensible number of zeros.

The ultimate goal, apparently, being Champions League football. Something Mitoma wrote down as being his holy grail back in his student days.

It is an ambition which still burns bright for Mitoma. And the reason why Brighton fans should brace themselves for him to leave at some point.

Who would begrudge Mitoma a move to fulfil that dream? Especially after he rejected becoming very, very rich to remain a Brighton player?

Mitoma was already immensely popular with Seagulls supporters. He is one of those players who excites the crowd the second he takes control of the football, normally via a sublime first touch.

Like Anthony Knockaert on the Brighton wing before him, Mitoma gets an entire stadium on their feet. It is a rare, beautiful talent to have.

And his commitment to Brighton (and his career) should cement that popularity even further. Mitoma will not beheading to Saudi Arabia. He represents a rare beacon of light in a game darkened by oil money and sportswashing.