The excitement and tension that the Saudi Pro League has created has left Cristiano Ronaldo's youth coach shaking his head especially with reports emerging that Kylian Mbappe is the next target.
Ronaldo now plays at Al Nassr while Karim Benzema is at Al Ittihad with Ruben Neves, Roberto Firmino, Hakim Ziyech, Jordan Henderson, Edouardo Mendy, and Kalidou Koulibaly have followed to the Saudi Pro League just like coach Steven Gerard.
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With Lionel Messi turning down a move to Al Hilal it keeps Ronaldo as the headline maker.
"When I first heard about Cristiano going to Saudi Arabia, my first thoughts were that it is not a good decision," Goncalves tells KickOff.
The Portuguese/Mozambican coach was one of Cristiano Ronaldo's development coaches at Sporting Lisbon and has also worked in China and Saudi Arabia but is currently in Johannesburg on a pre-season camp with Angolan club InterClube who faced SuperSport United on Tuesday morning.
"Based on that I worked in Saudi Arabia and worked with Cristiano as well, I felt that he could still play another year in Europe playing Champions League football.
"I know he is no longer the same Cristiano at his age having also not given the Portuguese national team the best in recent times, but he is at a level good enough to compete in Europe.
"But then after a while I thought that his priority is now on probably wanting to build his empire.
"Right now, in Saudi Arabia, they have (Karim) Benzema and all other players with top coaches also going there because of all the investing that is being made into football.
"Maybe all this money is not good for football because it is way too much money.
"The Saudis have every right to do what they are doing in the game because they have the money and can use it whichever way, they feel in making their league stronger.
"When I was there (Al Ahli Saudi) 10 years ago, the league was okay competition-wise but not comparable to leagues in Europe, South America, and even the PSL here in South Africa.
"Right now, with all these players and coaches maybe they will improve but they can't repeat the same mistake that was made by the Chinese who behaved the same way by bringing top players from Europe at the time with no plan.
"It is also important to also invest in the youth systems for the sake of having Saudi in their teams in the future.
"For now, Cristiano's presence has made many people around the world to watch Saudi League matches.
"Al Nassr matches are always on television in Portugal because of Cristiano," says Goncalves.
This week, it emerged that Paris Saint-Germain have accepted Al Hilal Saudi's record 300 million Euro bid for Kylian Mbappe after the Frenchman chose not to sign a new contract extension.
Mbappe has not travelled for PSG's pre-season camp in Japan.
Al Hilal will make Mbappe the highest earner in world football.
"These figures that are being mentioned are abnormal.
"For players that are preparing for their retirement, this is understandable that they go to Saudi Arabia but for Kylian Mbappe and Ruben Neves it is different, and I don't know.
"I don't expect Mbappe to be going to Saudi Arabia, but this is a lot of money to ignore in football.
"I would expect Mbappe to be playing in the UEFA Champions League but then Saudi Arabia is having too many surprises of late.
"At times, I ask myself about where the fair play is in all of this because it creates an imbalance in football," says Goncalves.
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