Al-Ittihad Sets Sights on Doumbia’s Successor as Season Ends and Injury Echoes

Potential replacement under consideration

Al-Ittihad has settled on a candidate to replace Mali midfielder Mamadou Doumbia once the season ends, following his ACL injury in the King’s Cup semi-final. The club is weighing options, with Ferha Al-Shamrani, a 20-year-old midfielder, brought into training with the first team to strengthen midfield depth under Portuguese coach Sergio Conceicao.

Doumbia’s injury occurred during the King’s Cup semi-final last Wednesday, a blow that has fast-tracked discussions about midfield recruitment as the Tigers prepare for the rest of the campaign.

According to the Saudi press, Al-Ittihad is evaluating Ferha Al-Shamrani in training to bolster options in central midfield, and to provide cover for Conceicao’s plans in the middle of the park.

Next steps and schedule

Despite the setback, Al-Ittihad is preparing for a swift return to action. The club will host Al-Hazm on April 3 in Jeddah, at Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium, in Round 27 of Roshen (Saudi Pro League). The objective is to regain momentum after the break and to keep pace with the league’s contenders.

Ferha’s inclusion in training is part of a broader strategy to deepen the squad ahead of a demanding run-in, while Doumbia’s recovery continues to shape transfer considerations for the summer cycle.

As the season resumes, the club will weigh whether Ferha can step into first-team duties or whether further reinforcements will be sought to sustain a title challenge. Sniper-like precision would be nice, but in football, even the best plans occasionally get a red card from fate.

Punchline time: If goals were a currency, Al-Ittihad would be minting a fortune—and the wallet would still be lighter than Doumbia’s absence. Also: in football as in dating apps, the midfield swipe left on ACL injuries and keeps moving forward.