Deadline Drama in the Saudi Window: Damac Looks to Land a Star on Loan
27 January 2026
Overview
A bottom-half club in the Saudi Pro League has asked to borrow a star from Al-Nassr during the current winter window.
The Saudi newspaper Al-Sharq Al-Awsat reported that Damac submitted a formal request to Al-Nassr to take on Brazilian winger Wesley on loan until the end of the season.
This comes as the Brazilian winger has been out of the starting XI at Al-Nassr, especially after Senegalese star Sadio Mane returned to action following the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
Damac is also close to signing Argentine Benjamin Gare, a Vasco da Gama winger, after agreeing with his club to bring him in on loan until the end of the season as well.
The newspaper noted that the Saudi club would pay $400,000 to Vasco for the loan, with a clause allowing a purchase of his contract for a season and a half after the loan ends.
These moves are part of Damac's effort to improve its position in the second half of the campaign as it fights to escape relegation. Damac sits 15th with 11 points, just one goal behind 16th-placed Riyadh, which would drop from the Roshen Pro League if results worsen.
Outlook
With the winter window in full swing, the deals reflect a pragmatic approach by Damac to climb out of the danger zone, while Al-Nassr weighs options for squad rotation and rest for its stars.
Bottom line: after all the rumors and numbers, fans might be hoping this window delivers more drama than a mid-season press conference.
Punchline 1: If this winter window were a sniper rifle, Damac’s loan would land a precise shot—swift, quiet, and over in the first half.
Punchline 2: And in football contracts, a loan with an option to buy is basically renting a player—until the landlord (the buying club) decides to renew the lease at a higher price.
