Al-Ahli of Saudi Arabia are working quietly in the summer transfer market, but this time the aim goes beyond simply adding a new player. The club are searching for the piece that will give the team complete balance before the new season starts.
Reports suggest Al-Ahli's management have entered advanced negotiations with Frenchman Manu Koné, the Roma midfielder, in a deal that could redraw the shape of the midfield and hand the team an entirely different character.
The missing link
Al-Ahli boast a large group of stars, but last season the team lacked a midfielder who could combine defensive strength with quality in building play. Koné masters exactly that role.
The French international wins the ball back and transitions quickly from defence to attack. Add his leadership, which shone with France at the 2026 World Cup, where he was one of the standout midfielders, and the appeal becomes obvious.
A trio that could be the best in the Roshn League
Should Al-Ahli complete the deal, the coach will gain one of the strongest midfields in the Saudi league.
Koné alongside Valentin Atangana would give the team great solidity at the base, freeing Armenian Eduard Spertsyan to play his attacking role as the team's main playmaker.
Read also: A meeting that cut short the holiday: the secret behind Ronaldo's surprise appearance at Al-Nassr's camp
That trio could give Al-Ahli the balance they lacked last season and turn control of midfield into one of their most prominent strengths.
An attack lacking only support
Al-Ahli's strength won't stop at midfield. The team have also bolstered their attack by signing Portugal's Francisco Trincão, expected to compensate for the departure of Riyad Mahrez and form a strong attacking trio alongside Brazil's Galeno and England's Ivan Toney.
With Spertsyan behind this trio, Al-Ahli will have varied attacking options, whether breaking through central areas, playing down the flanks or exploiting set pieces.
Seal the Koné deal, and Al-Ahli won't have merely added a new player. They will have completed one of the most important links in their technical project.
A midfield capable of imposing the tempo and an attacking line full of solutions could make Al-Ahli one of the leading contenders for every title next season, handing the coach a more complete squad than ever before.