Saudi football legend and former Al-Hilal star, Sami Al-Jaber, gave urgent strategic advice to the Al-Hilal board of directors, headed by Fahd bin Nafel, stressing the need to expedite the renewal of the contract of Portuguese star Ruben Neves, the midfield maestro, to ensure the stability of the technical team during the coming years.
Warning against European ambitions
Speaking on the "Our Club" program broadcast on MBC, Al-Jaber emphasized that keeping Neves is crucial for Al-Hilal's continued dominance both domestically and continentally. Al-Jaber stated unequivocally, "I cannot imagine Al-Hilal's lineup without Ruben Neves. He is the heart and soul of the team, and the management must finalize his contract renewal as soon as possible.".
Al-Jaber pointed to a crucial point regarding the transfer market, explaining that the amazing levels presented by the Portuguese player have made him the focus of attention for many major European clubs who want to bring him back to the Old Continent, especially since the player is still at the peak of his footballing abilities and his age allows him to play at the highest levels for many years.
Nieves... the engineer of the Jesus system
Sami Al-Jaber's comments come at a time when sports analysts agree that Ruben Neves is the "most important piece" in Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus's tactics. Since joining Al-Hilal from Wolverhampton Wanderers, Neves has not been limited to the traditional midfield role, but has become a deep-lying playmaker who controls the tempo of matches. He is distinguished by his accurate long passes and ability to win back possession without committing fouls, which has directly contributed to Al-Hilal's historic winning streak and domestic titles.
The player's contract and administrative stability
It is worth noting that Ruben Neves' current contract with Al-Hilal extends until the end of the 2025-2026 season. Despite the remaining time on his contract, Al-Jaber's invitation stems from his extensive administrative experience, as he understands that major clubs must secure their stars early on before entering the critical periods of contracts, especially with a player of Neves' market and technical value.
The importance of timing
This comes amidst Al-Hilal's preparations to compete on multiple fronts, including the AFC Champions League and the revamped FIFA Club World Cup. Observers of Al-Hilal believe that maintaining the core of the team, particularly Neves, is the true guarantee for competing with global clubs and maintaining their dominance in Asian football.
