With football clubs already having splashed the cash in a bid to strengthen their squads, Showtime Arabia, the channel that holds the viewing rights to the English Premier League, have strengthened their own side ahead of a new season.
Viewers will already be treated to the likes of Giovani dos Santos, Samir Nasri and Deco, but Marc-Antoine d'Halluin, President and CEO of Showtime, says it won't just be on the pitch where subscribers will notice new faces – the channel's Super Saturday show will also feature new pundits.
"In our second season, you'll see a lot more innovation [and] focus," said D'Halluin. "It is too early to reveal the details of our exciting plans, but our subscribers should expect more coverage from the pitch field, more pundits and more competitions."
The increase in quality is largely due to a deal Showtime inked with electronics giants Toshiba shortly after the 2007-2008 season ended.
Toshiba signed a multi-million dollar contract with Showtime Arabia as the exclusive broadcast sponsor of the league in the Middle East. The agreement is reportedly the region's largest single sports sponsorship deal.