Al Ittihad are building momentum in the Saudi Pro League, sitting third with 14 points from six games after beating Al-Fayha 2-1 on Tuesday. The win keeps them two points behind leaders Al Hilal, though the performance highlighted a recurring concern: the team continues to struggle against lower-ranked opposition, conceding a late first-half equaliser before George Ilenikhena and Youssef En-Nesyri secured the three points. Midfielder Mokhtar Ali missed the match through injury, a setback that forced coach Jens Weissfenning to adjust his options in the centre of the park.

Off the pitch, the failed pursuit of Algerian winger Anis Hadj Moussa dominated the closing days of the transfer window. Al Ittihad met Feyenoord's asking price of 42.5 million euros, more than twelve times what the Dutch club originally paid for the player, but the deal collapsed after Feyenoord demanded a bank guarantee that Ittihad refused to provide. Dutch media and journalist Ben Jacobs pointed to internal Feyenoord politics, with board members Devy Renaux and Robert Einhorn blocking the move under pressure from the Friends of Feyenoord association. The club responded by signing Dutch veteran Georginio Wijnaldum on a free transfer from Al Ittifaq as a replacement.

Next up is a trip to face Al-Faisaly at Majmaah Sports City on Thursday, a fixture the club will want to approach with renewed focus as they push to close the gap at the top.