The clubs have agreed terms, and what remains is formality: a medical, a photograph, a signature. Nobody at Al-Ta'ee is pretending he will be back in the shirt.
Every touch is being weighed now, in print and everywhere else. Some players grow into that and some are quietly ruined by it, and nobody knows which in advance.
A season average of 7.08 at an age when most of his year group are still in the youth team. Al-Ta'ee know what they have, and so, by now, does everybody else.
There is a figure at which a wage bill stops being ambitious and becomes the reason nothing else is possible, and this club has reached it. Nothing is left over for a transfer, a stand or a rainy afternoon.
Terms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around Al-Ta'ee they have already started talking about him in the past tense.
An error at the back is a moment; an error in goal is a goal. Abdulrahman Dagriri knows it, the crowd knew it instantly, and there was nobody behind him to make it anything else.
He wheeled away like a man who had been carrying it for months, because he had. Al-Ta'ee have their signing off the mark and one press-conference question retired.
“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-Ta'ee, and both men came out saying it was fine.
The clubs have agreed terms, and what remains is formality: a medical, a photograph, a signature. Nobody at Al-Ta'ee is pretending he will be back in the shirt.
A season average of 7.00 at an age when most of his year group are still in the youth team. Al-Ta'ee know what they have, and so, by now, does everybody else.
There is a figure at which a wage bill stops being ambitious and becomes the reason nothing else is possible, and this club has reached it. Nothing is left over for a transfer, a stand or a rainy afternoon.
Terms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around Al-Ta'ee they have already started talking about him in the past tense.
The crowd waited for a goal that never came. Al-Faisaly defended in numbers and left with what they came for, and the two sides could be playing still without troubling a scorer.
2 kept out in the shoot-out, and a stadium that will still be describing them in twenty years. A goalkeeper only needs one of these to be remembered forever.
The clubs have agreed terms, and what remains is formality: a medical, a photograph, a signature. Nobody at Al-Ta'ee is pretending he will be back in the shirt.
Every debut is a small story about the future: Abdulaziz Jurmush, 21 years old, off the academy pitches and into the first team. The parents in the stand will keep the programme.
He wheeled away like a man who had been carrying it for months, because he had. Al-Ta'ee have their signing off the mark and one press-conference question retired.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Al-Ta'ee know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
Asked to play a role that is not his, or taken off before the hour once too often — Rakan Al-Shamlan has let it be known that he does not like the way Al-Ta'ee are using him. Managers hear this long before the press does.
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.
“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-Ta'ee 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-Ta'ee have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
Terms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around Al-Ta'ee they have already started talking about him in the past tense.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Al-Ta'ee have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
The clubs have agreed terms, and what remains is formality: a medical, a photograph, a signature. Nobody at Al-Ta'ee is pretending he will be back in the shirt.
Everything was agreed until it was not, and Fahad Al-Hamad reports back to Al-Ta'ee with a summer to forget. Neither club is saying who walked away from the table.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Al-Ta'ee have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
He left as a boy and has come back still knowing where the away end is. Most signings have to be explained to a town; this one needed a photograph and nothing else.
He left as a boy and has come back still knowing where the away end is. Most signings have to be explained to a town; this one needed a photograph and nothing else.
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.
“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-Ta'ee can pretend not to have heard.
Terms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around Al-Ta'ee they have already started talking about him in the past tense.
“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-Ta'ee, and both men came out saying it was fine.
“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-Ta'ee can pretend not to have heard.
The clubs have agreed terms, and what remains is formality: a medical, a photograph, a signature. Nobody at Al-Ta'ee is pretending he will be back in the shirt.
“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-Ta'ee can pretend not to have heard.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Al-Ta'ee know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
“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-Ta'ee, and both men came out saying it was fine.
Terms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around Al-Ta'ee they have already started talking about him in the past tense.
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.
“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-Ta'ee, and both men came out saying it was fine.
The clubs have agreed terms, and what remains is formality: a medical, a photograph, a signature. Nobody at Al-Ta'ee is pretending he will be back in the shirt.
The clubs have agreed terms, and what remains is formality: a medical, a photograph, a signature. Nobody at Al-Ta'ee is pretending he will be back in the shirt.
“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-Ta'ee, and both men came out saying it was fine.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Al-Ta'ee know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
In brief
The terracesSupporters make their feelings known about Fahad Al-Hamad
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.
“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-Ta'ee, and both men came out saying it was fine.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Al-Ta'ee know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
The clubs have agreed terms, and what remains is formality: a medical, a photograph, a signature. Nobody at Al-Ta'ee is pretending he will be back in the shirt.
Terms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around Al-Ta'ee they have already started talking about him in the past tense.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Al-Ta'ee know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
“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-Ta'ee, and both men came out saying it was fine.
The clubs have agreed terms, and what remains is formality: a medical, a photograph, a signature. Nobody at Al-Ta'ee is pretending he will be back in the shirt.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Al-Ta'ee have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Al-Ta'ee have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
The clubs have agreed terms, and what remains is formality: a medical, a photograph, a signature. Nobody at Al-Ta'ee is pretending he will be back in the shirt.
A season average of 7.08 at an age when most of his year group are still in the youth team. Al-Ta'ee know what they have, and so, by now, does everybody else.
There is a figure at which a wage bill stops being ambitious and becomes the reason nothing else is possible, and this club has reached it. Nothing is left over for a transfer, a stand or a rainy afternoon.
Terms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around Al-Ta'ee they have already started talking about him in the past tense.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Al-Ta'ee know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
The clubs have agreed terms, and what remains is formality: a medical, a photograph, a signature. Nobody at Al-Ta'ee is pretending he will be back in the shirt.
A season average of 7.08 at an age when most of his year group are still in the youth team. Al-Ta'ee know what they have, and so, by now, does everybody else.
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.
“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-Ta'ee, and both men came out saying it was fine.
“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-Ta'ee 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-Ta'ee, and both men came out saying it was fine.
“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-Ta'ee can pretend not to have heard.
Terms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around Al-Ta'ee they have already started talking about him in the past tense.
“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-Ta'ee can pretend not to have heard.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Al-Ta'ee know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Al-Ta'ee have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
The clubs have agreed terms, and what remains is formality: a medical, a photograph, a signature. Nobody at Al-Ta'ee is pretending he will be back in the shirt.
A season average of 7.00 at an age when most of his year group are still in the youth team. Al-Ta'ee know what they have, and so, by now, does everybody else.
“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-Ta'ee can pretend not to have heard.
Terms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around Al-Ta'ee they have already started talking about him in the past tense.
A new face in his position, and Dino Halilović suddenly has to win back what he thought he owned. Al-Ta'ee have promised nothing — clubs rarely do at this stage.
Al-Ta'ee spent the window trying to move Ibrahim Al-Nakhli on and nobody came. He trains with a squad that has already told him he is not part of it, and both sides now wait for the next one.
“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-Ta'ee, and both men came out saying it was fine.
Shifted about, taken off before the hour, asked to do somebody else's running — Abdulrahman Al-Hamyani has had enough of being useful and would like to be picked. Al-Ta'ee know, and have known for weeks.
In brief
The terracesThe press have found their man in Fahad Al-Hamad
“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-Ta'ee can pretend not to have heard.
The name of Ammar Al-Ammar has come up in conversations Al-Ta'ee were not part of. Nothing formal, nothing signed — but nothing about it accidental either.
“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-Ta'ee, and both men came out saying it was fine.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Al-Ta'ee know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
There is a figure at which a wage bill stops being ambitious and becomes the reason nothing else is possible, and this club has reached it. Nothing is left over for a transfer, a stand or a rainy afternoon.
He found out with everybody else, an hour before kick-off, from a sheet of paper on a wall. Nobody at Al-Ta'ee pretended it was anything other than a decision about him.
“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-Ta'ee can pretend not to have heard.
Terms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around Al-Ta'ee they have already started talking about him in the past tense.
The clubs have agreed terms, and what remains is formality: a medical, a photograph, a signature. Nobody at Al-Ta'ee is pretending he will be back in the shirt.
The name of Ammar Al-Ammar has come up in conversations Al-Ta'ee were not part of. Nothing formal, nothing signed — but nothing about it accidental either.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Al-Ta'ee know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
There is a figure at which a wage bill stops being ambitious and becomes the reason nothing else is possible, and this club has reached it. Nothing is left over for a transfer, a stand or a rainy afternoon.
The crowd waited for a goal that never came. Al-Saudi Al-Watani defended in numbers and left with what they came for, and the two sides could be playing still without troubling a scorer.
“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-Ta'ee, and both men came out saying it was fine.
Terms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around Al-Ta'ee they have already started talking about him in the past tense.
He wheeled away like a man who had been carrying it for months, because he had. Al-Ta'ee have their signing off the mark and one press-conference question retired.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Al-Ta'ee know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
“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-Ta'ee, and both men came out saying it was fine.
“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-Ta'ee can pretend not to have heard.
Terms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around Al-Ta'ee they have already started talking about him in the past tense.
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.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Al-Ta'ee have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
Terms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around Al-Ta'ee they have already started talking about him in the past tense.
“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-Ta'ee can pretend not to have heard.
Terms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around Al-Ta'ee they have already started talking about him in the past tense.
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.
Terms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around Al-Ta'ee they have already started talking about him in the past tense.
He wheeled away like a man who had been carrying it for months, because he had. Al-Ta'ee have their signing off the mark and one press-conference question retired.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Al-Ta'ee know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
“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-Ta'ee can pretend not to have heard.
Terms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around Al-Ta'ee they have already started talking about him in the past tense.
There is a figure at which a wage bill stops being ambitious and becomes the reason nothing else is possible, and this club has reached it. Nothing is left over for a transfer, a stand or a rainy afternoon.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Al-Ta'ee know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
“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-Ta'ee, and both men came out saying it was fine.
Terms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around Al-Ta'ee they have already started talking about him in the past tense.
He wheeled away like a man who had been carrying it for months, because he had. Al-Ta'ee have their signing off the mark and one press-conference question retired.
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Al-Ta'ee know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
Everything was agreed until it was not, and Jonata Machado reports back to Al-Ta'ee with a summer to forget. Neither club is saying who walked away from the table.
The terraces14 Sep 2026
The ground has had enough
“We travel everywhere and we get this.” 6 of the 27 senior players heard it walking off, and the ones who did not hear it were not playing.
“The easiest signature of my career.” Abdelrahman Al-Shuweihi and Al-Ta'ee agree another 3 years, and the manager can plan around him rather than about him.
Terms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around Al-Ta'ee they have already started talking about him in the past tense.
A 1-0 win over Al-Saudi Al-Watani, earned rather than given, and the sort of afternoon that sends everyone home talking about next week instead of this one.
“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-Ta'ee, and both men came out saying it was fine.
There is a figure at which a wage bill stops being ambitious and becomes the reason nothing else is possible, and this club has reached it. Nothing is left over for a transfer, a stand or a rainy afternoon.
It is a strip of cloth and it decides nothing on a Saturday. It still tells the dressing room exactly whose opinion the manager values, which is the whole point of it.
He wheeled away like a man who had been carrying it for months, because he had. Al-Ta'ee have their signing off the mark and one press-conference question retired.
Some afternoons a goalkeeper is the team. 7 saves, several of them the sort nobody expects to see stopped, and a scoreline that flatters everybody in front of him.
Terms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around Al-Ta'ee they have already started talking about him in the past tense.
“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-Ta'ee can pretend not to have heard.
Sami Al-Shehri is 16, and Al-Ta'ee have signed him for the player he will be rather than the one he is. The first team can wait; the point of a deal like this is the years it buys.