Al Ahli are in genuine turmoil. The pressure on Dutch coach Marino Busicch has reached a tipping point following a humiliating 6-1 league defeat to Al-Shabab and a goalless draw away to Al-Sadd in the AFC Champions League Elite, leaving the Jeddah club sixth in both the Saudi Pro League and the West Group standings with eight points from four continental games.

The financial reality has complicated any swift managerial change. Reports indicate that buying out Busicch's contract, which runs until June 2028, would cost the club more than 45 million Saudi riyals. That figure has kept the board from acting sooner, though journalist Ahmed Al-Shamrani reported this week that Busicch is now on the verge of leaving. His agent, Rob Jansen, acknowledged uncertainty about the future while insisting the coach still feels supported, but declined to address the buyout clause directly.

The situation inside the camp has grown stranger still. Busicch reportedly told midfielder Naif Masoud and Brazilian winger Winderson Galeno to find new clubs in the January window, even as his own position looks untenable. Media commentators have floated Nuno Espirito Santo as a potential replacement, citing his familiarity with Saudi football.

On the pitch, Al Ahli host Al-Faisaly in the Saudi Pro League on 20 November, a fixture that now carries added weight. A poor result could force the board's hand regardless of the financial cost involved.