Al-Ittihad transfer rethink urged after Al-Kholood draw by Fahad Al-Harifi

Fahad Al-Harifi says Al-Ittihad should sign Al-Hilal players Malcom and Nunes after their disappointing 1-1 draw with Al-Kholood in their opening Roshn Saudi League match.

The former Al-Nassr player made the suggestion after Al-Ittihad were held by Al-Kholood on Saturday, in a match that also saw Portuguese midfielder Danilo Pereira sent off.

The result has intensified criticism from Al-Ittihad supporters, who had expected a stronger start to the league campaign. The dismissal of Pereira further complicated the contest and contributed to a difficult evening for the Jeddah club.

Speaking on the television programme Dourina Ghair, Al-Harifi argued that Al-Ittihad still needed to strengthen their squad.

“Al-Ittihad need some signings, so why shouldn’t Al-Hilal duo Malcom and Nunes join the Tigers?” he said.

Al-Harifi’s comments came amid recent discussion about the possibility of Malcom and Nunes moving to Diriyah. However, no such transfer has taken place so far, and the former Saudi Arabia international believes both players should instead be targeted by Al-Ittihad.

“Recently, the talk was about Malcom and Nunes moving to Diriyah, but that has not happened yet. In my view, the two players should be moved to Al-Ittihad,” he added.

Malcom and Nunes are both currently associated with Al-Hilal, while Al-Ittihad are attempting to build a squad capable of competing at the top of the Roshn Saudi League. Al-Harifi’s proposal would represent a significant move between two of Saudi Arabia’s leading clubs, although the article does not indicate that negotiations have taken place.

The draw with Al-Kholood has already led to a sharp reaction from parts of the Al-Ittihad fanbase. In the hours following the match, supporters made strong calls for the departure of the club’s current chairman, Fahad Sanadi.

There have also been demands for changes involving several members of the club’s technical and administrative departments. Those calls followed an opening-round performance that ended without victory and included the setback of Pereira’s red card.

Al-Ittihad’s result has therefore placed early pressure on the club, while Al-Harifi’s remarks have added a transfer dimension to the debate over how the team should respond. His proposed solution is for the club to pursue Malcom and Nunes, despite recent speculation linking the pair with a move to Diriyah rather than Jeddah.