Al-Hilal Bids Farewell to Maliki as a New Chapter Opens in the Yelo League
27 November 2025
Al-Hilal has decided to end Abdulilah Maliki’s four-year spell with the club as his contract runs down at the season’s end. He is free to sign with any club in January and could depart on a free transfer during the upcoming summer window.
According to the Saudi newspaper Al-Youm, the club does not plan to renew the midfielder’s contract after this season. Al-Youm also reports that Diriyah, currently playing in the Yelo first division, is keen to sign Maliki in January.
Status of Maliki
The decision is expected to be confirmed soon, either with a January exit or by keeping him until the campaign ends. In addition, Al-Fath has emerged as another potential destination in winter talks, while the club reportedly faces financial constraints that could push it to loans rather than permanent deals.
Sporting links suggest that the Italian coach Simon Inzaghi will have the final say on whether Maliki moves to Al-Fath or stays with the champions in the coming weeks. The Saudi press also notes that Fath plans to bring in some players on loan to strengthen the squad, including Maliki, if financial conditions allow.
Interest from Other Clubs
Maliki’s journey has been a winding one. He joined Al-Hilal after leaving Al-Ittihad in 2022, spent a spell on loan at Al-Ettifaq, and then returned to the King Abdullah Stadium complex. In roughly two seasons with the club, the 31-year-old has appeared 16 times, scoring once and not providing a single assist. He also featured for Al-Ettifaq 23 times in the previous campaign, while the bulk of his career was built with Al-Wehda and Al-Ittihad before moving to the national team in 2019. Internationally, he has 36 caps, including two appearances at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, with one assist to his name. Since late 2024, injuries have hampered his international chances as he slipped from Saudi Arabia’s tactical plans.
The Road Ahead
The looming departure comes as midfield competition in Riyadh intensifies, with Serge Milinkovic-Savic and Ruben Neves among the stars, and Saudi players Mohammed Kanno and Nasser Al-Dosari pushing for minutes. Al-Hilal are also chasing Morad Housaoui from Gulf Club to bolster depth, signaling a possible end to Maliki’s time in the capital. Even though he has recently returned to action, the recalls have been more about squad rotation than a new role for Maliki.
Punchline 1: If life were a transfer window, Maliki would be the headliner—free to move, but not free to forget how to kick a ball.
Punchline 2: In January, he might sign for free, but the jokes about his contract status will still be paying off in social media for months. Even free agents need good agents—preferably one who knows when to stop negotiating and start playing.
