Saudi Gazette report

JEDDAH — The star striker Roberto Firmino and midfielder Abdullah Otayf participated for the first time in the training session of their new team Al-Ahli Club of Jeddah. In the middle of an honorary corridor, the squad members celebrated the entry of the newcomers and welcomed them enthusiastically.

Al-Ahli players went through their second preparatory training for the next season at the club’s academy stadium, under the supervision of national coach Yousef Anbar.

The Brazilian Firmino, nicknamed “Bobby Shirt”, wore the No. 10 jersey in his first training session with the team, which was the number that former team player Salman Al-Moasher wore earlier.

Firmino recently joined Al-Ahli on a free transfer following his departure from Liverpool. “I always played for big teams, now I’m in Al-Ahli,” Firmino said in a video on Al-Ahli’s Twitter account. The 31-year-old signed a three-year contract and will team up with goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, who also left the English Premier League after three seasons with Chelsea.

Forming a devastating attacking trio with Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane, he helped Liverpool win the Champions League in 2019, the Premier League in 2020 and both the FA Cup and League Cup in 2022. The Brazil international bade farewell to Anfield in late May, scoring his 111th goal for the club during its last game of the season.

Firmino joins a long list of high-profile players who have moved to the Saudi Pro league in recent weeks, with the likes of Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kante and Ruben Neves following in the footsteps of Cristiano Ronaldo, who moved to Al-Nassr in January. Al-Ahli returned to the Saudi Pro League after spending the 2022-2023 campaign in the first division.

Otayf, the new midfielder of Al-Ahli, switched over from Al-Hilal Club during the current summer transfer season. After 10-year-long brilliant career with Al-Hilal, Otayf signed a pre-contract agreement with Al-Ahli in March this year. However, he officially joined the club following the conclusion of the 2022–23 Saudi Pro League season.

Al-Ahli Club is expected to announce several sponsorships for the team after its contract with international stars Edward Mendy and Roberto Firmino, in addition to the association of several international names with Al-Ahli Club in the recent period and the circulation of its news at the level of European newspapers.

It is expected that Al-Ahli will settle several files over the coming days, in order to complete the club’s preparations for the next season, with a focus on the two Saudi Roshan Pro League Championship and the King’s Cup Championship

Last month, the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) announced a Sports Clubs Investment and Privatisation Project involving league champion Al-Ittihad, Al-Hilal. Al-Nassr and Al-Ahli. PIF owns 75 percent of each of the four clubs, while their respective non-profit foundations own 25 percent of each.