Saudiarabiens framfart och påverkan på Europeisk toppfotboll.

▶️ Jordan Henderson left Al-Ettifaq and signed for Ajax.
▶️ Karim Benzema has missed Al-Ittihad's trainings and Marcelo Gallardo excluded him from the camp.
▶️ Roberto Firmino has been benched at Al-Ahli and didn't scored since August.
▶️ Jota barely played for Al-Ittihad and wants to leave the club.

Laporte said it has proven difficult to adapt to his new surroundings in an interview with Spanish newspaper AS. “It is a big change compared to Europe, but in the end it is all about adaptation,” said the five-time English Premier League winner. “They have not made it easy for us. In fact, there are many players that are discontented. We are working on it every day, negotiating so to speak, and to see if it improves a little because this is something new for them too, having European players who already have a long career. Maybe they are not used to this and have to adapt to a little more seriousness.

Laporte acknowledged the financial rewards on offer, and said he had no plans to leave but Henderson’s exit, and talk of dissatisfaction from Roberto Firmino and Karim Benzema, both linked with loan moves back to Europe, has thrown deep doubts in what became a gold rush for players last summer.

“Many of us have also come here not only for football,” said Laporte. “Many of us are happy with that, but I am also looking for something beyond that is not the economic part and such. In terms of quality of life, I expected something different because in the end here you spend three hours a day in the car. Riyadh is a waste of traffic, of time wasted in the car.”

Now a number of Saudi-based WAGs have opened up to MailOnline about how they are struggling with the Saudi culture - speaking on condition of strict anonymity because they fear the repercussions if such accounts were to be linked to them.

They reveal a disturbing picture of paranoia about going out in public, anxiety about how to dress and feeling even threatened if they relax and become 'too Western'.

Typical was the WAG who told us: 'It's very hard for expat women in Saudi Arabia, especially if the locals feel that you are not dressed properly. On one occasion I was shouted at just because my shoulders and part of my legs were showing.

'We're not allowed to wear shorts in public, despite the heat. You can't even wear them on the beach. And if you do, people look at you as if they hate you. It can be very intimidating.'

Another said: 'I've been turned away from shopping malls just because my upper arms and shoulders were not covered up and you could see part of my chest as I had a vest on. People told me to return when I'm dressed properly. Sometimes women shout abuse at you, and it can be very frightening.

'When it comes to women, the culture is very different here and they are very strict. If you're not covered up properly then you could be in for a hard time when you go out.'

A third told us: 'You can't just act naturally like you do in the West. You have to be on your guard every time you leave the front door - so you tend to not go out.'