Al-Hilal of Saudi Arabia are living through a pivotal phase ahead of the new season. Between the management's moves in the transfer market and coach Simone Inzaghi's desire to reshape the squad, several files remain unresolved. Settling them could be the difference between a successful season and one full of crises.
These files are not tied solely to new signings. They stretch to the future of some of the team's most prominent stars, whose fate is shrouded in uncertainty over the coming weeks.
Yassine Bounou: stay or search for a replacement?
Morocco's Yassine Bounou has been one of Al-Hilal's most important pillars in recent years, but his name has lately been linked with several offers from abroad. That places the management before a big decision.
Al-Hilal are also weighing whether to leave him out of the domestic list and limit his participation to the AFC Champions League Elite only, or sell him outright to free up his slot for another foreign player. Follow the details
Right-back: a crisis with no solutions
Right-back looks like the most troubling position within Al-Hilal at present, with reports confirming that Portugal's Joao Cancelo is close to leaving.
Yet the management have not yet moved to negotiate with a clear replacement, and that raises question marks. This position is one of the most important keys to Inzaghi's style, which relies heavily on the full-backs' runs in the final third.
Any delay in settling the matter could leave the Italian coach facing a technical crisis at the start of the season, given that there is no right-back other than Hamad Al-Yami.
Karim Benzema: is the end approaching?
The file of France's Karim Benzema remains open within Al-Hilal, amid talk of the club's desire to sign a new striker to lead the front line.
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Several reports indicate the management are studying more than one scenario. They could remove Benzema's name from the domestic list and limit his registration to the Asian competition, or reach an agreement to end the relationship completely if they succeed in bringing in a world-class striker.
Despite Benzema's great experience, the player's future has become tied to Inzaghi's decisions and the management's vision for the new project.
Salem Al-Dawsari: a legend who does not know the role of substitute
Salem Al-Dawsari's situation may be the most sensitive for Al-Hilal's fans. The captain wishes to end his career in the shirt of the club where he made his history.
At the same time, he does not want to turn into a reserve player, especially with Al-Hilal close to signing a world-class winger after the recent moves to bring in Crysencio Summerville, as well as the club's name being linked with Ousmane Dembele.
Should a new winger arrive, Salem may find himself facing one of only two options: accepting a lesser role within the team, or searching for a new experience that guarantees him a place as a starter.