Last-Second Twist: Why Saud Abdulhamid's Move to Al Hilal Fell Through
3 February 2026
Context
Behind-the-scenes: last-hour developments denied the capital club the signing of Saud Abdulhamid from Lens in the final hours of the winter window.
According to press reports, Al Hilal offered Lens a loan until the end of the season with no option to buy.
Al Hilal reportedly proposed two million euros for the loan, while Saud was enticed by a generous salary to accept.
Despite his wish to continue his European journey, Saud agreed to join Al Hilal on a temporary loan to gain more minutes ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
Lens coach Pierre Sag held a meeting with the 26-year-old on Monday, urging him to stay and promising more minutes in the second half if he kept working hard.
Saud also has offers from Spain's Rio Vallecano and Deportivo Alaves, and could move to one of them in the summer if minutes do not improve.
So far this season Saud Abdulhamid has appeared in 15 matches for Lens, scoring one goal and providing two assists.
Punchline: In football minutes are currency; Saud just bought a loan with a bit of interest and a dash of suspense.
Punchline 2: If this transfer saga paid salaries, my WiFi would finally load the highlight reel on time.
