Al Ahli and Al Nassr seek midfield solution as new Roshn Saudi League season nears

Al Ahli and Al Nassr are facing a similar problem before the new Roshn Saudi League season, with neither club having secured a foreign player to provide the ideal solution in the defensive midfield position.

Although the two teams have different priorities, the lack of a proven holding midfielder has become an increasingly significant concern. What began as a transfer-market preference now represents a genuine squad weakness that could influence how both sides perform during the campaign.

Al Nassr are preparing for the new season with Abdullah Al-Khaibari still expected to be the main option in the holding midfield role. The player has faced criticism in recent months over some of his performances and decisions during matches.

The club have completed the signing of Samu Costa from Mallorca, but his arrival is expected to cover Marcelo Brozovic’s departure in the number-eight position. As a result, Al-Khaibari remains the only established option for the deeper midfield role.

That leaves Al Nassr with limited cover in one of the most important areas of the team. The club may have added to its midfield, but the signing of Costa does not directly solve the need for a specialist defensive midfielder.

The situation is even more pronounced at Al Ahli following the departure of Franck Kessie. The Ivorian midfielder left the club without the management having yet secured a direct replacement for him in the holding role.

Kessie was far more than an ordinary midfielder for Al Ahli. His physical strength, ability to win possession and defensive contribution were central to the team’s balance, while his experience made him particularly valuable in high-pressure matches.

Replacing those qualities will be a demanding task. Al Ahli need a player capable of shielding the defence, recovering the ball and allowing the other midfielders greater freedom to move forward and contribute to the team’s attacking play.

A separate storyline involving Al Nassr has also focused on Cristiano Ronaldo and whether he could leave the club on a high, in what has been described as a possible “last dance”.

The shared difficulty between the two clubs is that both possess players who can fill the position in certain circumstances, but neither currently has a foreign midfielder who offers the required long-term upgrade.

Al Nassr can turn to Al-Khaibari, while Al Ahli may use Valentin Atangana in some roles. However, relying on the current groups throughout the season could place considerable pressure on both coaching teams, particularly when facing the strongest opponents.

With the start of the campaign approaching, there is little time left for either club to take that risk. They must either move quickly to complete a major midfield signing or accept the consequences of entering the season with a visible weakness in one of the squad’s key positions.

The situation also underlines that the success of a transfer window is not measured only by the number of high-profile arrivals. For Al Ahli and Al Nassr, the more important test is whether they can address the weaknesses that genuinely affect their squads. So far, neither club has resolved its holding-midfield problem.