- Ex-Barca star to leave Al-Ittihad
- Loan move to Al-Shabab confirmed
- No purchase option in deal
وفق رياضة سابق برشلونة Atletic captain Unai Hernandez is leaving Al-Ittihad just seven months after joining the Saudi champions. The 20-year-old midfielder, who arrived in January in a €5 million deal, had been eager to establish himself in the Middle East but found playing time limited under Laurent Blanc. Despite scoring his first goal last season and helping Al-Ittihad secure a league and cup double, Hernandez has now agreed to join Al-Shabab on loan.
While the Tigers were reluctant to lose Hernandez permanently, Al-Shabab were quick to pounce after new boss Imanol Alguacil personally requested him. The midfielder is expected to play a creative role as a No. 10, giving him the platform for more minutes and a bigger role than he enjoyed in Jeddah. Hernandez featured nine times in the الدوري السعودي للمحترفين last season, starting seven of those matches, but was left out of the squad for the opening match of the new season.
Al-Shabab initially wanted to include a purchase option in the deal, but Al-Ittihad refused. The Jeddah side even pushed for a January return clause before ultimately settling on a straightforward season-long loan without buy-out options.
Hernandez will spend the new season at Al-Shabab, where he is expected to feature heavily under Alguacil. For Al-Ittihad, the loan ensures their young talent gains experience without closing the door on his long-term future in Jeddah. The Spanish midfielder’s performances in Riyadh will ultimately decide whether he returns to fight for a place or paves the way for a permanent switch down the line.
