Qadsiah Stands Firm: Star Duo Stay Put Amid Big-Splash Offers

Qadsiah Reiterates Stance on Star Exits

Qadsiah FC has officially clarified its position regarding the potential departure of its two stars, Muhammad Abu al-Shamat and Jihad Zakri, to Al Hilal and Al Ittihad during the current winter transfer window, amid mounting speculation across Saudi football circles.

Reports had previously indicated that Al Hilal sought to sign Abu al-Shamat on a permanent basis to replace their left-back Joao Cancelo, who joined Barcelona on loan through the season's end, as teams chase a tactical reset for the second half of the campaign.

Additionally, Al Ittihad submitted a loan offer for Zakri through the end of the season in an attempt to address the team's defensive fragility persisting since the campaign began, with Zakri also seen as a potential long-term fit to shore up the backline.

Saudi outlet Al-Riyadia reported that the Al Ittihad proposal included a 5 million riyal payment to Qadsiah for the services of the Saudi defender in the second half of the season, the report underlined the value of a Saudi defender in a league hungry for domestic stars.

However, Al-Riyadia also stated that Qadsiah officially rejected both offers from Al Hilal and Al Ittihad, choosing to retain its prized players for the time being, for now, the decision keeps the clubs on standby and fans guessing about the next moves.

At present, Qadsiah sits fifth in the Saudi Pro League with 30 points, one point behind Nasr, Taawoun and Al Ahli, who occupy second through fourth places in the standings, with patience as the game of the season continues.

Punchline 1: If patience were a striker, Qadsiah would be leading the league right now.

Punchline 2: The offers came in loud and clear, but the only thing moving here is the rumor mill—the stars are staying put.