Al-Ittihad have completed the signing of left-back Fares Abedi from Neom, the Saudi club confirmed on Monday evening as part of a summer drive to bolster their squad before the new season kicks off.
The club marked the arrival with a bespoke graphic on their official X account, captioned: "Fares Abedi.. a tiger among the tigers", confirming the deal was done and the player was officially one of their own.
Abedi's arrival closes one of the squad's most pressing gaps. Albanian full-back Mario Mitaj had joined Italian side Genoa on loan, leaving Al-Ittihad's management scrambling to line up a ready-made replacement before the campaign began.
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Few players know Saudi football better. Abedi has turned out for four clubs, Al-Wehda, Al-Qadsiah, Al-Fayha and finally Neom, and that experience should help him settle quickly into life at Al-Ittihad and the demands of the Roshn League.
The management are banking on him adding value down the left, particularly with the coaching staff wanting a defender who blends discipline at the back with the drive to support the attack.
His signing forms part of a wider rebuild after a summer of changes in several positions, with the club determined to protect their stability and keep pushing hard for domestic and continental honours.