Al-Ittihad agree loan deal for Benfica midfielder Richard Rios

Al-Ittihad have reached an agreement with Benfica to sign Colombia midfielder Richard Rios on a season-long loan, according to Portuguese newspaper A Bola.

The Saudi club will pay €3m to bring Rios to Jeddah for one season, with the agreement reported ahead of the Saudi league’s summer transfer-window deadline on 6 September.

Rios joined Benfica in the summer of 2025 after leaving Brazilian club Palmeiras. His proposed move to Al-Ittihad would give the Saudi side another option in midfield as they look to strengthen that area of the team.

Al-Ittihad are seeking midfield reinforcements following the departure of Brazilian player Fabinho, who recently joined Turkish club Trabzonspor. The former Al-Ittihad player’s exit has increased the need for additions in the centre of the pitch, with Rios now set to become the latest player linked with a move to the club.

The Saudi side had also been reported to be interested in two Al Ahly midfielders, Emam Ashour and Marwan Attia. However, both players have since renewed their contracts with Al Ahly until 2030, effectively ending the possibility of their departures.

Rios’ proposed move would reunite him with a competition he knows from his time at Palmeiras. He played against Al Ahly for the Brazilian club in the group stage of the FIFA Club World Cup, in a match Palmeiras won 2-0.

A Bola reported that Benfica and Al-Ittihad have agreed the terms of the loan, with the Colombian expected to spend the coming season in Saudi Arabia. The deal would last for one year and carry a fee of €3m.

The transfer remains tied to the Saudi window, which closes on 6 September. Should it be completed, Rios would leave Benfica only a year after arriving from Palmeiras and would continue his career in the Saudi league.

For Al-Ittihad, the agreement represents a move to address their midfield options after Fabinho’s transfer to Trabzonspor. Their reported interest in Ashour and Attia did not lead to a deal after both players committed their futures to Al Ahly, leaving Rios as the club’s latest midfield target.

Rios’ previous appearance against Al Ahly, and Palmeiras’ 2-0 victory in that group-stage meeting, are the most recent link between the player and the Saudi side. The reported loan agreement would now see him potentially move from Benfica to Al-Ittihad for the 2025-26 season.