“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Al-Khaleej, and both men came out saying it was fine.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Al-Khaleej know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
Al-Khaleej spent a month trying to move him and nobody rang back. He trains with a squad that has told him where he stands, and both sides start counting down to the next one.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Al-Khaleej know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
A season-long audition: Al-Hazem still own him, but the shirt and the minutes are Al-Khaleej's to give. A loan is a bet both clubs believe they are winning.
The fee is $2.3M, the contract is signed, and the argument about whether he is worth it can begin. Al-Qadisiyah drove a hard bargain; time will say who won it.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Al-Khaleej can pretend not to have heard.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Al-Khaleej have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
The list is a quiet document with a loud meaning. Bart Schenkeveld may talk to anybody who asks, and everybody at the club understands what that means.
A new face in his position, and Joshua King suddenly has to win back what he thought he owned. Al-Khaleej have promised nothing — clubs rarely do at this stage.
What was said behind closed doors has now been said in front of a microphone. Everybody at Al-Khaleej can do the arithmetic, including the man it is aimed at.
A new face in his position, and Koshaim Al-Qahtani suddenly has to win back what he thought he owned. Al-Khaleej have promised nothing — clubs rarely do at this stage.
“I will know when it is time. I am not there yet.” Abdullah Al-Hafith is 34, with 194 appearances behind him, and Al-Khaleej will have to plan for whichever answer comes.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Al-Khaleej, and both men came out saying it was fine.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Al-Khaleej have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
Boardroom22 Feb 2027
129% of the income goes out in wages at Al-Khaleej
Every club in football pays most of what it earns to its players. Paying nearly all of it is a different arrangement, and it has ended the same way every time somebody has tried it.
0-3 to Al-Hilal, and it was every bit as bad as the number suggests. There are defeats you argue about and defeats you apologise for; this was the second kind.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Al-Khaleej can pretend not to have heard.
A player who expected to start watched it instead. The manager will call it a decision for the team; Tobías Vargas will call it something else in private.
He is the name in every column and on every phone-in, which is a heavy thing to carry at any age. Some footballers thrive on it; others are quietly finished by it.
The name of Abdulmajeed Al-Khathami has come up in conversations Al-Khaleej were not part of. Nothing formal, nothing signed — but nothing about it accidental either.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Al-Khaleej can pretend not to have heard.
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Al-Khaleej, and both men came out saying it was fine.