Al-Ittihad Signs Fares Abdi as New Left-Back

Al-Ittihad have moved decisively to close a key gap in their back line, sealing the signing of left-back Fares Abdi from Neom after wrapping up financial and contractual details in the last few hours.

The Saudi giants confirmed the deal across their official channels, a swift announcement that underlined how hard head coach Jens Wissing had pushed for the move. He had identified Abdi as the man to lock down the left flank, a position left painfully vacant after the passing of Mario Metaj.

This was not a token addition. Abdi emerged from a shortlist of several options, winning the internal race to become Al-Ittihad’s new first-choice left-back and adding another piece to an evolving summer rebuild as the Tigers reshape their squad for the coming season.

For the 27-year-old, it marks another step in a career that has rarely followed a straight line. Born in California, he learned the game on American pitches before choosing a very different path and heading to Saudi Arabia in 2020 with Al-Wehda. From there, he built his reputation with spells at Al-Qadsiah and Al-Fayha, gradually establishing himself as a reliable presence on the flank.

Last summer he joined Neom, where he delivered a full-blooded campaign: 34 appearances and 3 assists, numbers that caught the eye of Wissing and Al-Ittihad’s recruitment team. Those performances have now earned him a move into one of the league’s most scrutinised dressing rooms.

Al-Ittihad wanted a defender who could handle that pressure and immediately shoulder responsibility on the left. In Abdi, they believe they have found exactly that profile.