Al-Ittihad sign Algerian midfielder Houssem Aouar from AS Roma

Aouar left the Italian club after just a single season.

Saudi Pro League juggernauts Al-Ittihad have completed the permanent signing of Algerian midfielder Houssem Aouar from Italian club AS Roma for a reported transfer fee of €12m.

The 26-year-old midfielder had a decent 2023–24 club campaign for AS Roma, where he played 25 matches across all competitions, scoring four goals in the process.

Having joined the Italian outfit just a year ago on a free transfer from French giants Olympique Lyon, Aouar was unable to cement his place as a regular starter under two different managers, first Jose Mourinho and then current manager Daniele De Rossi.

With key factors such as Al-Ittihad looking for a dynamic midfielder, Aouar being open to a fresh experience and AS Roma being ready to sell the player, all coming together, a total deal of around €12m was successfully struck.

Aouar has signed a four-year deal at Al-Ittihad, making him the first big-name signing of coach Laurent Blanc’s era at the club. The Algerian midfielder is set to share the dressing room with some of the best players in the world, such as Luiz Felipe, Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kante and Fabinho.

The former Olympique Lyonnais star represented France in just one game in his international career, which was a friendly against Ukraine in 2020. He then switched allegiance to Algeria last year, owing to his parents being born in that country. Aouar currently has 11 caps for Algeria and has managed to score three goals.

Despite their star-studded roster Al-Ittihad endured an underwhelming 2023–24 season, where they finished a disappointing fifth in the Saudi Pro League, a whopping 42 points behind eventual champions Al-Hilal.

Due to their disastrous campaign, the Tigers ended up sacking two coaches in a year, first Nuno Espirito Santo in November, followed by Marcelo Gallardo at the end of the season. After an intensive search for managers that included the likes of former AC Milan coach Stefano Pioli on the list, Al-Ittihad appointed French head coach Laurent Blanc as their permanent manager for the foreseeable future.

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