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Midfield earthquake: Al-Hilal's squad resists the storm of change while Al-Ittihad in a new guise

Originals
Al Hilal
Al Nassr FC
Al Ittihad
Al Ahli
M. Brozovic
F. Kessie
Saudi Pro League
Saudi Arabia
Croatia
Côte d’Ivoire

A major revolution

The midfield is no longer just a patch of grass where players gather. It has become one of the most striking features of the change sweeping through the top clubs in the Roshn League before the new season kicks off.

Al-Nassr and Al-Ahli have chosen to reshape their lines, and Al-Ittihad have moved to change their identity entirely. Al-Hilal went the other way, keeping hold of their most important men.

These changes are not only about new names. They are about the absence of players who spent years as an essential part of these clubs' line-ups, which makes the coming season a real test of whether the replacements can shoulder the responsibility.

  • Al Qadsiah vs Al Nassr - Saudi Pro LeagueGetty Images Sport

    Al-Nassr turn the page on Brozovic

    For the first time since 2023, Al-Nassr begin a new season without Marcelo Brozovic. The Croatia international leaves after years as one of the most important cogs in their midfield.

    Samu Costa is the man expected to fill the void. Al-Nassr look set to line up in a new shape, with Abdullah Al-Khaibari and Angelo alongside the anticipated arrival of Costa, an attempt to rebuild a midfield that offers greater balance between defensive and attacking duties.

    Can this group make up for Brozovic's experience? That is the question, particularly given the player served as a fundamental pivot in building play and bringing the ball out from the back.

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  • Cote D'Ivoire v Norway: Round Of 32 - FIFA World Cup 2026Getty Images Sport

    Al Ahly starts afresh after Kessié's departure

    Al-Ahli have also opted to reshape their midfield. Franck Kessié has departed, the Ivorian having been a fixture in the side since 2023 and one of its most important players over the past few years.

    New arrival Eduard Spertsyan will line up alongside Ivorian Valentin Atangana, and the club are still working to bring in another player for the position. Al-Ahli's midfield will wear a completely different look next season.

    Read also: Salah changes the rules of the game: has the Saudi project lost its prestige in the face of Turkish cunning?

    Why does this shake-up matter? Al-Ahli aren't simply looking to replace Kessié the player. They want to redistribute the roles across the middle of the park to suit the ideas of the new coaching staff and the team's ambitions at home and on the continent.

  • FBL-ESP-CORDOBA-ALMERIAAFP

    Al-Ittihad opts for African identity

    The biggest change perhaps came at Al-Ittihad, who ended the Fabinho era after the Brazilian's spell with the club since 2023, opting to replace him with Senegalese midfielder Dion Lopy, a signing from Spanish side Almeria.

    Lopy's arrival hands Al-Ittihad's midfield a clear African identity. The Senegalese lines up alongside Malian Mohamed Doumbia and Algerian Houssem Aouar, a combination that blends physical strength, ball-winning and technical presence.

    Al-Ittihad hope the mix delivers greater balance in the middle of the park. Fabinho's departure closed an important chapter, and Lopy's arrival opens the door to a completely different tactical phase.

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  • Al Qadsiah v Al Hilal: Saudi Pro LeagueGetty Images Sport

    Al-Hilal: the only survivor of the storm of change

    All three clubs have torn up their midfields and rebuilt. Al-Hilal look the most settled of the lot, keeping their key men without any radical surgery.

    Read also: Between denial and confirmation: what is the truth behind Inzaghi's departure from Al-Hilal?

    Ruben Neves, Sergej Savic, Mohamed Kanno and Nasser Al-Dawsari remain the spine of the side, a group packed with experience and years of understanding. That gives the team a serious edge heading into the new campaign.

    Al-Hilal, then, won't need long to bed in their midfield. Their rivals face the opposite problem, forced to hunt for their best combination in the opening rounds.

    Holding onto that stability could prove Al-Hilal's sharpest weapon in a season where the storm of change has swept through nearly everyone else.