Al-Ittihad are one of the four Saudi Pro League sides that are run by the PIF (Public Investment Fund) which is linked to the Saudi Arabian government.
The Saudi side are reportedly close to signing Fabinho from Liverpool, according to Fabrizio Romano. The club can already boast the likes of N’golo Kante, Karim Benzema and Celtic’s Jota in their squad, and potentially adding Fabinho, too, makes them a worthy contender for this season’s Saudi Pro League title.
Having won the league last season, ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr, here’s all you need to know about the side tipped for more success this season.
Benzema scores on debut
Al-Ittihad’s new superstar, Karim Benzema, scored yesterday for his new side in a 2-1 win against Es Tunis in the Arab Club Champions Cup.
A beautifully curled finish highlighted just what the forward was all about. The Frenchman completed his free transfer from Real Madrid this summer and has made an instant impact at his new stomping ground.
Al-Ittihad play their home games at King Abdullah Sport City Stadium which is able to hold over 62,000 people and is a multi-purpose arena. The ground itself is around 30 kilometers north of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
The Middle Eastern side have signed some world-class players this summer, but perhaps somebody who is going under the radar for the Pro League side is Portuguese winger, Jota.
The winger, signed from Scottish side Celtic, has shown an abundance of quality playing in the league and it seemed a surprising decision when the former Benfica player made the decision to move to the Middle East.
Perhaps another surprising name at Al-Ittihad is their manager, Nuno Espirito Santo. The former Wolverhampton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur manager has taken the hot seat in the Saudi League looking to make a name for himself again after a poor spell at Tottenham, where he was sacked barely six months into his strenuous tenure.
They have the quality in the dugout and on the pitch but can Nuno’s Al-Ittihad retain the title this season?