Fabinho Standoff Puts Al-Ittihad in Familiar Turmoil
Al-Ittihad have been here before. A star in the dressing room, a contract on the table, and a gap between what the club wants to pay and what the player believes he is worth.
This time, the name on the line is Fabinho.
The 32-year-old Brazilian, who arrived from Liverpool in the summer of 2023 for 46.7 million euros, has seen his contract run down at the end of last season. On the pitch he has been the spine of Al-Ameed’s midfield; off it, he has become the subject of a financial tug-of-war that could shape the club’s next cycle.
A cornerstone, but at what price?
Within the corridors of power at Al-Ittihad, there is no debate about his importance. Fabinho has been a constant presence, racking up 111 matches in all competitions since his arrival, chipping in with seven goals and nine assists. More than the numbers, he anchored the side that stormed to the 2024-2025 double, lifting both the Saudi Roshn League and the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup.
That kind of influence usually gets rewarded. This time, it has sparked a standoff.
Sports media figure Mohammed Al-Bukairy confirmed that the club’s company is pushing to extend Fabinho’s deal by one year, taking it through to the end of June 2027. The intention is clear: keep the midfield general, keep the core of a title-winning side intact.
The money gap
According to Al-Bukairy, Al-Ittihad’s management have presented Fabinho with terms that fall below what he has earned over the past three seasons, both in annual salary and benefits. For a player who has just driven a historic double, the proposal landed badly.
Fabinho and his agent made their displeasure known. No theatrics, just a firm rejection of a pay cut that drags him away from his previous wage level of around 25 million euros a year.
Negotiations, Al-Bukairy insists, remain alive. Both sides are still hunting for a figure that keeps the Brazilian in Jeddah without blowing up the wage structure. The club want to edge down from his peak salary; the player wants something close enough to feel like respect, not a demotion.
Between those two positions lies the risk of another high-profile rupture.
Echoes of Benzema
The tension around Fabinho inevitably brings back memories of Karim Benzema’s bitter exit. The French striker, nicknamed “the Government”, walked away from Al-Ittihad on a free transfer in the 2026 winter window after a similar dispute over reduced terms.
Back then, the club also wanted to renew on a lower financial package. Benzema didn’t entertain it. Talks collapsed, frustration boiled over, and he pushed for a contract termination to clear his path to Al-Hilal, where he signed a deal running until June 2027.
That move has aged awkwardly on all sides. Al-Hilal now see no technical role for Benzema and are actively trying to move him on, but so far have found no takers. For Al-Ittihad, his departure remains a warning: mishandle a star’s contract, and you don’t just lose a player — you invite instability, scrutiny, and questions about your project.
Fabinho’s situation is not identical, but the parallels are impossible to ignore.
Temptation from Brazil, eyes on Europe
While Al-Ittihad wrestle with their numbers, the market is watching.
Several Brazilian newspapers report that Cruzeiro and Palmeiras are ready to move for Fabinho this summer. Both clubs see the 32-year-old as a heavyweight addition, a leader who can step straight into their midfields and raise standards.
For now, Fabinho is looking elsewhere. His priority, according to those reports, remains European and Saudi clubs. That stance keeps the door open for Al-Ittihad, but it also sends a message: the Brazilian believes he still belongs at the highest financial and competitive level.
The clock, quietly, is ticking.
A decision that reaches beyond one player
Al-Ittihad’s dilemma goes beyond a single contract. Fabinho is not just another foreign signing; he is the pivot around which their recent success has turned. Lose him, and the club must rebuild the heart of their team. Keep him on terms he accepts, and they reaffirm their status as a destination for elite talent.
Push too hard on a pay cut, and the Benzema saga becomes more than a cautionary tale — it becomes a pattern.
Right now, both sides are still talking, still searching for that elusive number that saves face and sustains ambition. The question is simple, and ruthless:
Can Al-Ittihad afford to let another leader walk out of the door at the peak of his influence?
