Khamis Al-Zahrani's Warning to Al-Ittihad Stars
Al-Ittihad great Khamis Al-Zahrani has fired a stark warning shot at some of the club’s biggest names, urging Houssem Aouar and Youssef En-Nesyri to head for the exit before the new season begins.
For a club staring at what he calls “a very big season”, Al-Zahrani sees a squad built on fragile foundations.
A legend’s blunt verdict
Speaking to Al-Arabiya, the former Al-Ittihad midfielder laid out his concerns with unusual clarity. In his view, the issue is not star power, but structure – and how those stars fit into the vision of new German coach Jens Wissing.
“Al-Ittihad is heading into a very big season, but it suffers from a problem in depth, especially with the ideas of the new German coach Jens Wissing,” he said, pointing directly at the heart of the team.
For Al-Zahrani, the midfield is the fault line.
“Al-Ittihad needs great depth in midfield,” he explained, before delivering the most pointed line of the interview: “Neither (Houssem) Aouar nor Fabinho nor (Youssef) En-Nesyri can perform the roles the coach is expected to demand of them, which involve direct play, pressing and quick transition.”
In other words, big reputations, wrong profiles.
Under the microscope
Al-Zahrani made it clear that time, and patience, are in short supply. The new coach is already assessing his options, and some established names are very much in the firing line.
“Al-Ittihad needs midfielders, with Fabinho, Aouar and En-Nesyri coming under the coach's scrutiny, so that he can take the appropriate decision on them as soon as possible, especially since Fabinho's contract has already ended,” he added.
The message is sharp: no one is safe, and decisions cannot wait.
He stressed that the club cannot afford hesitation in a market where every delay carries a cost. “These matters require speed in decision-making, in addition to quality in selection, especially since the coach has now got to know the players, put his finger on the wound, and must plug the gaps with distinguished signings,” he continued.
The diagnosis is done. Now comes the surgery.
Midfield overhaul on the horizon
Al-Zahrani expects that surgery to focus on the engine room. Two new arrivals, he believes, are already part of the internal planning.
“What I know is that Al-Ittihad will bring in midfield players, one of them a replacement for Fabinho, and the other playing in the same way as (Mamadou) Doumbia, while Aouar's situation remains linked to the team's squad and the number of foreign players,” he said.
That line underlines the precarious position of Aouar in particular. His future is no longer just about form; it is tied to foreign quota calculations and the tactical demands of a coach who wants intensity, verticality and relentless pressure.
For En-Nesyri, the criticism cuts differently. A striker by trade, he is nonetheless grouped with Fabinho and Aouar as players who do not fit Wissing’s idea of direct play, pressing and rapid transition. In Al-Zahrani’s eyes, the attack must start from a midfield built for that style, not one adapted to accommodate names.
Tight deadlines, tighter finances
If the sporting questions are complex, the context makes them even harsher. Al-Zahrani painted a picture of a club racing the clock with limited resources and a rookie coach at this level.
“Al-Ittihad faces a thorny matter, and time is extremely tight, especially in light of the financial difficulties, in addition to the presence of a new coach who does not possess great experience in leading a big team the size of Al-Ittihad club,” he concluded.
A demanding fanbase. Financial strain. A new coach still learning the scale of the job. And, according to one of the club’s own legends, high-profile players who no longer fit the system.
If Al-Zahrani is right, Al-Ittihad’s next few weeks will not just define a transfer window. They will decide who is still wearing the famous shirt when that “very big season” finally kicks off.
