Alpha Touré attracts Al-Ittihad and Al-Diraiyah interest

Metz midfielder Alpha Touré is attracting growing interest from Saudi Arabia, with Al-Ittihad joining Al-Diraiyah in the race to sign the 20-year-old Senegalese player this summer.

The Ligue 2 club are hoping Touré’s departure can bring another significant transfer fee after Monaco agreed to pay €7m plus €3m in potential bonuses for Sadibou Sané. Metz are now expecting further movement around Touré, with a deal potentially being completed this week.

Touré, who is contracted to Metz until June 2028, has a release clause in his contract. His situation has attracted attention from several clubs, with Saudi Arabia emerging as the most serious destination.

Al-Diraiyah remain interested in signing the young midfielder after previously making their intentions clear. However, competition has increased following the arrival of Al-Ittihad in the transfer race.

The Jeddah-based club have contacted Metz to establish the conditions required to sign Touré. The potential transfer fee is understood to be between €5m and €7m.

Al-Ittihad’s interest is linked to their desire to add a promising player under the age of 21 to their squad. The current rules allow Saudi clubs to register only eight foreign players on an official match sheet, while nationality is not considered for players in the under-21 category.

That makes Touré an attractive option as the Saudi club look to strengthen their squad with a young player.

For Metz, the interest represents another opportunity to generate a substantial fee from a player who remains under contract for almost two more years. The club are already preparing for the possibility of Touré’s departure as the transfer window approaches its conclusion.

The competition for his signature is not limited to Saudi Arabia. Spanish side Elche have also entered the race and are monitoring the midfielder’s situation.

However, Elche are currently considered to be further behind the Saudi clubs in the race for the Senegalese midfielder.

Turkish club Corum had previously been linked with Touré, but they are no longer involved in the negotiations.

With Al-Diraiyah maintaining their interest, Al-Ittihad now making enquiries and Elche also involved, Touré’s future has become one of the situations to watch at Metz.

The French club will be hoping that the growing competition for the midfielder results in an agreement that meets their financial expectations, while Touré could soon have to decide whether his next step will take him to Saudi Arabia or elsewhere.