Al-Ittihad Loan Unai Hernandez to Girona for Season

Al-Ittihad have reached an agreement with Girona to send Spanish midfielder Unai Hernandez to La Liga on loan as the Jeddah club continue a sharp reshaping of their squad.

According to Saudi daily Al-Riyadiah, the deal is for a season-long loan and includes an option for Girona to buy the 20-year-old outright when the spell ends. The Catalan side will reportedly cover only a limited portion of his salary, with Al-Ittihad still paying the bulk of his wages.

It marks a swift change of direction for a player once viewed as one of the “Doyen’s” key prospects. Hernandez joined Al-Ittihad from Barcelona in February 2025 on a three-year contract, arriving with the profile and pedigree to become a long-term piece of the club’s project.

He started brightly enough. In his early months in Jeddah he featured in 10 matches, scoring once and supplying three assists, hinting at the creativity that persuaded Al-Ittihad to move for him. Then the minutes dried up. His involvement faded to the point where, last season, his only outing came against Al-Nassr in the Saudi Super Cup semi-final.

The club sent him to Al-Shabab on loan for the second half of the campaign in search of rhythm and responsibility. He at least found regular football there, racking up 31 appearances, but his end product stalled: no goals and just a single assist across all competitions.

Now comes a different kind of test. Girona, with their high-tempo, possession-heavy style in Spain, offer Hernandez a chance to reset his trajectory in a league that suits his technical profile. For Al-Ittihad, the move trims the wage bill and opens space in midfield as they try to recalibrate a squad built at speed.

If Girona exercise their option to buy at the end of the season, this brief Saudi chapter could close quickly for Hernandez. If not, Al-Ittihad may find themselves welcoming back a more seasoned, battle-hardened midfielder from one of Europe’s most demanding competitions.