In a series of rapid developments within the Saudi club Al-Ittihad, Portuguese coach Sergio Conceição, the first team's manager, has made a decisive technical decision regarding the future of professional player Carlo Jan Simic. The coach has expressed his desire to release the player for the current season, directing the club's efforts towards finding alternative options to more effectively bolster the starting lineup.
Sources close to Al-Ittihad Club reported that Conceição submitted a detailed technical report to the club's sporting management, expressing his dissatisfaction with Simic's performance during training and friendly matches. The Portuguese coach emphasized that the player does not fit the tactical plans he intends to implement in upcoming competitions, stressing the need to utilize the foreign player slot to sign another player capable of providing the quality addition the team requires to compete for titles.
Carlo Jan Simic had joined Al-Ittihad from the Belgian league in a highly anticipated transfer, following negotiations that included an agreement on all financial and contractual details. However, the club's tactical changes and the vision of the new coaching staff, led by Conceição, who is seeking to restructure the team to meet the fans' expectations, hastened the decision to release him and put his contract up for sale during the current transfer window.
On the field, Al-Ittihad continues its intensive preparations for the new season, having secured an important morale-boosting victory in its recent friendly match against Neom FC. The match, held at Neom Stadium in Tabuk, ended with a score of 3-1, providing the coaching staff with an opportunity to assess the readiness of several players and begin to finalize the starting lineup.
This technical and administrative overhaul comes as Al-Ittihad seeks to compensate for last season's setbacks and make a strong comeback in the Saudi Professional League title race. The club's management recognizes that the competition will be fierce, given the significant reinforcements made by rival clubs, making the careful selection of foreign players crucial to the team's success. Therefore, Conceição's decision regarding Simic is part of a comprehensive strategy to streamline the squad and retain only those players capable of withstanding the pressures of competition and fulfilling the high expectations of Al-Ittihad's large fan base.
