A fresh twist could turn Al-Ahli of Saudi Arabia's calculations upside down following the departure of Germany's Matthias Jaissle from the coaching role. The manager's resignation has gone from a technical crisis to a potential financial windfall for the club's board.
Just a few days ago, Jaissle decided to resign as Al-Ahli boss and head to England to work with Newcastle United.
Media figure Walid Al-Farraj explained on his new programme on "Rotana Sport" that Al-Ahli are waiting to bank 55 million riyals, the value of the release clause tied to Jaissle's contract, after the manager chose to walk away.
Read also: Roshn scouting: Jaissle solves Al-Ahli's crises and jumps ship!
His exit still leaves plenty of questions hanging over Al-Ahli, particularly with the team gearing up for a new season packed with challenges. The board must move quickly to reorganise the technical project before the competitions kick off.
Beyond the Jaissle file, Al-Ahli's corridors are buzzing with activity during the current transfer window. The board are hunting for a new holding midfielder to bolster the middle of the park and hand the team extra options.
Al-Ahli begin their new season this evening, Thursday, against Al-Diriyah, freshly promoted to the Roshn League.