Al Ghamdi, Al Sahafi complete loan move to Europe

Al Ittihad have loaned Faisal Al Ghamdi and Marwan Al Sahafi to Belgian club Beerschot for the 2024-25 season.

The Saudi Arabian duo, both internationals, will represent the Belgian Pro League side this campaign, and become the latest Roshn Saudi League domestic players to make the move to Europe following Saud Abdulhamid’s permanent transfer last week from Al Hilal to AS Roma.

In a statement released on Sunday night, the 2022-23 RSL champions said: "Al Ittihad Club has agreed to loan players Faisal Al Ghamdi and Marwan Al Sahafi to Belgian club Beerschot for one season.

“This move aligns with the programs and strategies aimed at developing young talent and supporting their growth, which will positively impact their performance and serve the future goals of both the club and Saudi sports.”

Al Ghamdi, 23, made his RSL debut for Al Ettifaq in May 2022 and went on to register 30 appearances in the league for the Dammam side. The midfielder signed for Al Ittihad in September last year, featuring 18 times in the 2023-24 RSL, scoring once. In November, he was named the league’s Young Player of the Month.

Al Ghamdi had been handed his first senior national team call-up in January last year at the Arabian Gulf Cup in Iraq and, 12 months on, was a member of Roberto Mancini’s squad at the 2023 AFC Asian Cup. He scored in the group match against Kyrgyz Republic.

Meanwhile, Al Sahafi debuted for boyhood club Al Ittihad in October 2022 and has made 27 RSL appearances in all, scoring two goals. The winger, 20, earned his first international cap in June, coming on as a second-half substitute in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying win against Pakistan in Islamabad.

In Beerschot, the Saudi pair joins a club that were last season promoted to the Belgian top flight by winning the second-tier Challenger Pro League. Based in Antwerp, they most recently competed in the lead division in the 2021-22 campaign. Beerschot are managed by Dirk Kuyt, the former Feyenoord, Liverpool, Fenerbahce and Netherlands forward.

Speaking last week, the Dutchman said: “When we got the opportunity to follow Saudi talent in the Roshn [Pro] League, we searched for distinguished players and chose Faisal Al Ghamdi and Marwan Al Sahafi after we asked some European players about them and the opinions were positive.

“We are a team that wants to possess the ball, and they will help in implementing that… I spoke with them during Zoom before they arrived in Belgium, and I explained to them our future plans and what we intend to do together.

“They are very enthusiastic, and I am trying to benefit from the Dutch system that is concerned with developing young people to show their quality.”