Al Ahli’s summer rebuild leaves one key gap as Matthias Jaissle departs

Al Ahli’s decision to part company with Matthias Jaissle has raised fresh questions about the club’s summer recruitment strategy, with the German leaving just as many of the squad improvements identified as priorities were in place.

Jaissle’s departure, announced only days ago, was not simply a routine coaching change. It came after Al Ahli had moved decisively in the transfer market to address weaknesses exposed during the previous season, with Jaissle understood to have played an important role in determining the team’s technical needs.

The timing has therefore added to the uncertainty surrounding the Saudi club. By the end of the transfer window, most of the positions considered important for the new campaign had been strengthened, yet the manager who was expected to lead the project chose to leave before it had properly begun.

One of Al Ahli’s biggest challenges was replacing the influence of Riyad Mahrez. The Algeria international had been a central figure in the team’s attacking structure, creating a need for a player capable of providing at least part of his technical and creative contribution.

The arrival of Portugal international Francisco Trincao offered a solution in that area. He can operate in more than one position and provides a threat from the wide areas, making him one of the most significant additions to the squad during the transfer window.

That move meant one of the issues likely to have concerned Jaissle before the start of the season had been addressed. Al Ahli had not left the coach without support; instead, the club had added new players intended to help him implement his ideas.

The recruitment drive also extended beyond the attack. Al Ahli strengthened midfield with the signing of Armenia international Eduard Spertsyan, a player expected to offer greater creativity and give the side more options when building attacks and switching from defence to offence.

The club also added Aboubacar Sidibe in defence, increasing the number of options available at the back and raising competition within the squad. Nayef Masoud was brought in to reinforce the holding midfield position.

Taken together, those moves represented a clear attempt to correct most of the problems Al Ahli had experienced. The club had not simply entered the market without a plan; it had targeted specific weaknesses and begun reshaping the squad around them.

However, one position remained a notable concern: right-back.

That area still required substantial reinforcement, particularly with Al Ahli expected to compete for domestic and continental honours. A demanding schedule requires depth across the squad, ensuring the team is not dependent on one player or forced to rely on a single option in the event of injuries or a loss of form.

Right-back was therefore the most obvious unresolved technical issue when the transfer window closed. Even so, it was not a problem that left Al Ahli without answers elsewhere on the pitch. Most of the other significant needs had already been addressed.

That is the central paradox surrounding Jaissle’s exit. The German left at a moment when Al Ahli had completed much of the work needed to deal with the squad’s biggest weaknesses, rather than departing from a project that had yet to take shape.

The immediate challenge for the club’s hierarchy is now to manage the consequences quickly. The priority is no longer limited to making further signings; Al Ahli must appoint a manager capable of understanding the new arrivals, integrating them into the team and building on the work already completed.

The right-back position remains the unfinished part of the squad, but the bigger question is why Jaissle decided to leave when Al Ahli’s team was moving closer to the shape he had reportedly wanted.

Did Jaissle believe the club’s problems went beyond filling one position, or did the German choose to leave before the most difficult stage of the journey began?