Libya international midfielder Ahmad Benali is being linked with a move from Italian side Virtus Entella to Al-Ittihad in the Libyan Premier League, according to transfer listings.
The 34-year-old central midfielder, valued at around €300k, is the subject of growing speculation over a switch from Serie B to his homeland’s top flight. Data on the move lists the probability of the transfer only as “?”, underlining that talks, if any, remain at a speculative stage rather than an advanced negotiation.
Benali’s current contractual situation is not disclosed, leaving open the possibility that he could become a free agent or move for a relatively low fee, given his declining market value in recent seasons. Any deal would reunite the Manchester-born player with Libyan football via Al-Ittihad, one of the country’s most prominent clubs.
The Libyan Premier League side are credited as the potential destination in the latest transfer records, with Virtus Entella listed as the club he may depart. No details have been given on salary, length of any proposed contract or whether an agreement is close.
Benali, who holds both Libyan and English nationality, has spent the bulk of his career in Italy after leaving Manchester City. His club journey has taken in Brescia, Palermo, Pescara, Crotone, Pisa, Bari and most recently Virtus Entella, featuring across Serie A and Serie B before the latest link to North Africa. A former youth player at both Manchester United and Manchester City, he operates primarily as a central midfielder and is right-footed.
Once valued at up to €3m during his peak years at Pescara and Crotone, Benali’s current €300k valuation reflects his age but also makes him an attainable target. Should the rumoured move to Al-Ittihad materialise, it could offer a late-career return to Libyan football and a chance to enhance his standing with supporters in the country of his national team allegiance.
