The legend of Al-Ittihad Club and Saudi football, Mohammed Noor, sparked widespread controversy in sports circles after revealing exciting behind-the-scenes details regarding the transfer of player Murad Hawsawi to Al-Hilal Club, and the loss of the opportunity for Al-Ittihad Club to sign the player during the current winter transfer period.
In televised remarks on the program “Our League is Different”, Mohammed Noor recounted the details of the situation that reflects the speed with which Al-Hilal’s management moved to finalize deals, saying: “I was seriously looking for Murad Hawsawi’s phone number in order to contact him and convince him to move to Al-Ittihad, but the surprise was the very next day, when I received news that Al-Hilal had officially finalized the contract with him.”.
Behind the scenes of the deal and Al-Hilal's swift decision
Al-Hilal officials successfully finalized the signing of Murad Hawsawi from Al-Khaleej in record time, reaching a final agreement on all financial and contractual terms. This move comes as part of Al-Hilal's strategy to strengthen its squad with the best young local talent, ensuring continued competitiveness for all domestic and continental titles.
This deal came based on the recommendations of Al-Hilal's technical staff, led by Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus, who demanded the need to strengthen the team's options in midfield and defense, and to close any gaps that the team might face in light of the pressure of consecutive matches in the Saudi Professional League and the AFC Champions League.
The clash of titans: Al-Ittihad and Al-Hilal in the transfer market
This incident opens the door wide to discussing the historical and ongoing rivalry between the two giants of Saudi football, Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad, not only on the pitch but also in the transfer market. The Saudi transfer market is always characterized by a fierce competition among the four major clubs (Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr, Al-Ittihad, and Al-Ahli) to secure the most prominent local talents, as acquiring local players is a fundamental pillar in building a strong bench capable of compensating for absences.
Al-Ittihad Club has been suffering from fluctuating results recently and is in dire need of strengthening its ranks, which explains the move of club legend Mohammed Noor to personally try to help convince the players, a role often played by former “Al-Ameed” stars out of jealousy and love for the entity.
The importance of the deal and its expected impact
The transfer of young talents from mid-table clubs like Al-Khaleej to top clubs is a pivotal step in a player's career and directly impacts the balance of power in the league. For Al-Hilal, Hawsawi represents an additional tactical option for coach Jesus, who relies on a high-pressing style and player rotation to avoid fatigue.
On the other hand, this lost deal increases the pressure on the management of Al-Ittihad Club to act quickly in the remaining days of the transfer market to compensate the fans with quality deals that will put the team back on the right track, especially in light of the fierce competition for the places that qualify for the Asian championships.
In conclusion, this incident confirms the high professionalism and administrative speed of the Al-Hilal negotiator, a feature that has always tipped the scales in favor of “Al-Azraq” in many controversial deals throughout the history of the Saudi League.
