Winter Transfer Saga: Ittihad Holds the Line as Al-Aboud Deal Hits a 70 Million Mark
27 January 2026
Background
Al-Ittihad sticks to a hefty price tag to let go of its star in January.
Al-Ittihad's board reportedly refused a 20 million SAR bid from Al-Hilal to sign winger Abdulrahman Al-Aboud during the current winter window, insisting the value should be higher.
The Negotiations
Saudi newspaper Al-Riyadh reported that the offer did not meet the union's expectations, who prefer to command around 70 million SAR to part with the player, despite him falling out of the coaching staff's plans in recent weeks.
The administration conditioned either payment of that amount or a mutual loan deal moving Al-Aboud to Hilal in exchange for midfielder Mohammad Kano joining Al-Ittihad through the end of the season.
Outlook
Al-Aboud expressed a desire to leave for more playing time to bolster his chances of earning a spot on the Saudi national team under coach Hervé Renard for World Cup 2026 qualifiers and preparations.
Earlier reports hinted at a plan to loan Kano in response to Hilal's push to sign Aboud, but the formal bid did not meet expectations.
Sources also revealed earlier discussions of a swap deal involving Aboud to Hilal in return for defender Ali Al-Bulaihi moving to Al-Ittihad, but this idea was rejected by the Jeddah club.
Punchline 1: If deals were donuts, January would be glazed with surprises and holes where the numbers should be.
Punchline 2: The transfer market in full swing is basically a soap opera — with more paperwork than plot twists and a soundtrack of calculators clicking all night.
