Fabinho Standoff Tests Al-Ittihad's Nerve Amid Salary Dispute
Al-Ittihad know exactly what Fabinho means to them. That is what makes this stand-off so delicate, and so dangerous.
The 32-year-old Brazilian arrived in Jeddah in the summer of 2023 from Liverpool for 46.7 million euros and promptly became the spine of “Al-Ameed”. Three seasons on, his contract has expired, his future is on the line, and the club are walking a tightrope they have fallen from before.
A pillar in midfield, a gap on the balance sheet
On the pitch, there is no debate. Fabinho has been a cornerstone of Al-Ittihad’s midfield, the metronome and the shield in front of the back line. Since his arrival, he has racked up 111 matches in all competitions, scoring seven goals and supplying nine assists. Those numbers only hint at his influence.
He drove the Tigers through their glorious 2024-2025 campaign, anchoring the side that completed a domestic double: the Saudi Roshn League and the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup. In the biggest moments, he was there, closing spaces, setting the tempo, dragging the team over the line.
But loyalty on the pitch meets cold arithmetic off it.
Sports media figure Mohammed Al-Bukairy has confirmed that the club’s company is pushing to extend Fabinho’s deal by one year, which would take it to the end of June 2027. On the surface, that sounds like commitment. The problem lies in the numbers underneath.
Money on the table – and not enough of it
Al-Ittihad’s management have put forward a renewal offer that comes in below what Fabinho has earned annually over the past three seasons, both in salary and benefits. For a player who has delivered trophies and minutes at an elite level, the cut has landed badly.
According to Al-Bukairy, Fabinho and his agent did not hide their displeasure. Negotiations have become a tug-of-war over respect as much as revenue.
Talks continue, and there is still a shared target: a figure close to his previous wage of 25 million euros per year. That is the benchmark both sides are circling. Al-Ittihad want to protect their wage structure; Fabinho wants recognition of his status and contribution.
The clock, however, is ticking, and the market is watching.
Brazil calls, Europe waits
Interest in the midfielder is not in short supply. Several Brazilian newspapers report that Cruzeiro and Palmeiras are both keen to bring Fabinho home this summer. For clubs in Brazil, landing a player of his pedigree would be a statement.
Yet the player’s priorities lie elsewhere. Fabinho is said to be giving precedence to offers from Europe and Saudi clubs, a clear signal that he still sees himself operating at the highest financial and competitive levels. He knows his value in these markets. So do Al-Ittihad.
And this is where the story begins to echo a recent and painful chapter in Jeddah.
The Benzema warning
The current tension with Fabinho drags up uncomfortable memories of Karim Benzema’s exit. The French striker, once the club’s marquee “Government”, walked away from Al-Ittihad on a free transfer in the 2026 winter window to join rivals Al-Hilal.
Back then, Al-Ittihad also wanted to renew. Back then, they also wanted to do it on reduced financial terms. Benzema’s response was blunt. He rejected the proposal, cut off negotiations and demanded a contract termination so he could leave.
He got his wish. Benzema signed with Al-Hilal on a deal running until June 2027. Now the capital club are trying to move him on, with no place for him in their plans on a technical level and no buyer yet willing to take on the package. A different problem, but the same root: big contracts, big decisions.
For Al-Ittihad, the lesson from the Benzema saga is clear. Letting a star walk for nothing, and to a domestic rival, can reshape a title race and a dressing room. They cannot afford to sleepwalk into a repeat.
A decision that will define a cycle
Fabinho sits at the heart of what Al-Ittihad have built since 2023. He is not a luxury signing; he is the framework. Losing him over a gap in salary talks would send a message to the squad, to the league, and to potential recruits watching from afar.
The club insist negotiations remain alive, that both parties are still hunting for common ground near that 25 million euro mark. The Brazilian, for now, has options but no final destination. The door is open on all sides.
Al-Ittihad must now decide how much a midfield anchor in his prime is worth to them – not on a spreadsheet, but in titles, stability and identity.
They gambled with Benzema and paid the price. With Fabinho, do they bend, or do they break?
