Al Ahli face £10m legal bill over Marino Pusic contract

Al Ahli could face a compensation bill of almost 50m Saudi riyals if they terminate Marino Pusic’s contract, according to legal adviser Ahmed Al Sheikhi.

The Dutch coach’s appointment, described as the “disaster of the season”, has become an increasingly complicated issue for the Roshn Saudi League club. Pusic was appointed at the start of the current season after the unexpected departure of German manager Matthias Jaissle.

Speaking on the Nadina programme, Al Sheikhi said the agreement with Pusic had created a significant legal risk for Al Ahli because it was signed for two binding years.

The contract included high financial commitments, including salaries and guaranteed advances, but did not contain a clear exit mechanism to protect the club if it wanted to end the arrangement early.

Al Sheikhi said cancelling the deal could cost Al Ahli close to 50m Saudi riyals. He explained that the contract did not include a reduced termination clause allowing the club to part company with the manager by paying the equivalent of three or six months’ salary.

That leaves the settlement of Pusic’s remaining entitlements as one of the main challenges facing the club’s management.

Legal options remain open

Al Sheikhi said Al Ahli would still be permitted to appoint another manager and place that coach in charge of the team before reaching a final settlement with Pusic.

The financial and legal dispute surrounding the contract would not prevent the club from making that change, he added.

If Pusic refuses a proposed settlement, Al Ahli could leave the matter to FIFA, according to Al Sheikhi. He also said disputes involving managers’ contracts do not result in sporting sanctions such as a registration ban.

That would give Al Ahli room to continue operating without waiting for the case to be fully resolved.

The club’s next listed Roshn Saudi League fixture is against Al-Faisaly on 20 November 2026.

Al Sheikhi also ruled out the likelihood of active financial monitoring being imposed on Al Ahli. He said the club was among the least-spending of the major sides and should have a financial surplus from the support available to it, reducing the possibility of such a measure.

The situation leaves Al Ahli’s management facing a difficult decision. Ending Pusic’s tenure and appointing a replacement could result in a payment nearing 50m Saudi riyals, turning the managerial issue into a substantial legal and financial case.

The club must now seek a resolution while avoiding further disruption to the team’s stability and its wider financial planning.