Craig Goodwin is off to Saudi Arabia again.Credit:Getty
The reigning Johnny Warren medallist will rejoin Al-Wehda,the Saudi Pro League club who he signed for in 2019,in a deal that was closed just before the oil-rich kingdom’s transfer window shut on Thursday.
Goodwin,31,failed to settle in his first stint in Saudi Arabia and returned to Adelaide on loan – but the game has changed markedly since then. High-profile stars like Cristiano Ronaldo,Karim Benzema,Roberto Firmino,Riyad Mahrez and N’Golo Kante now play in the domestic leagueafter a government-led investment spree of $1 billion on players.
The left-winger will not be on the same sort of exorbitant salary as those stars,but he will reportedly still earn about $2.5 million a season,making him one of the world’s highest-paid Australian players.
For Adelaide,and the A-League,it is a blow to lose Goodwin,who became a household name with a goal and an assist for Graham Arnold’s Socceroos as they reached the round of 16 in their best World Cup performance last year.
Mathew Leckie celebrates his match-winning goal against Denmark.Credit:AP
Meanwhile,Melbourne City marquee star Mathew Leckie –who scored a dazzling solo goal against Denmark – could be sidelined for 12 weeks by a knee injury suffered on duty with the Socceroos.
The team said Leckie took a knock at training,ruling him out ofSunday’s friendly against Mexico at AT&T Stadium in Dallas,as well as next month’s clash with England at Wembley Stadium,and potentially Australia’s first two 2026 World Cup qualifiers in November.