The Saudi Pro League turned down the signing of a Morocco international this summer for a bizarre reason.
Press reports had confirmed that Qatari club Al-Shamal successfully signed Morocco's Mohamed Rabie Hrimat, the Al-Jaish Al-Malaki midfielder, during the ongoing summer transfer window.
According to Saudi newspaper "Asharq Al-Awsat", Hrimat had been close to a move to Al-Ettifaq in the Saudi Pro League. A bizarre reason scuppered the deal.
The recruitment committee of the Saudi Pro League handled the negotiations, the newspaper explained, and insisted on valuing the player at just 1.5 million dollars.
That valuation cost Al-Ettifaq the services of the 32-year-old, who joined Al-Shamal of Qatar for roughly 2.5 million dollars instead.
Several clubs have voiced their complaints about the recruitment committee's interference in valuing player prices, which has held up numerous deals in recent times.
Hrimat was one of Morocco's standout players at the 2025 Arab Cup in Qatar, where the Atlas Lions were crowned champions. He even won the tournament's best player award.