Al Ahli
Arne Slot and the next step after rejecting Al Ahli
Slot has rejected Al Ahli and is waiting for a club role in Europe after Liverpool.
Arne Slot has reportedly ruled out a move to Al Ahli, despite the Saudi Pro League side being in the market for a new manager. ESPN report that the 47-year-old has no intention of taking the job, even with the club expected to move for Matthias Jaissle as the replacement for the departing boss.
That stance leaves Slot in a familiar holding pattern: available, highly regarded and selective about his next move. The former Liverpool manager is said to be “prioritizing” a return to club football in one of Europe’s leading leagues, with contact already coming from teams in England, Germany and Italy this summer. For now, however, he remains unattached.
The Al Ahli vacancy could have offered a significant financial package, but the appeal appears to have stopped there. Slot, who guided Liverpool to the Premier League title just two years ago, seems more focused on restoring his club career at the highest level in Europe than taking the Saudi route.
His name has also been mentioned in connection with the Netherlands job after Ronald Koeman stepped down following the Oranje’s round of 32 exit at the 2026 World Cup. That would have opened the door to an international appointment, the same path taken by figures such as Carlo Ancelotti, Zinedine Zidane and Mauricio Pochettino. Yet the indications point elsewhere, with Slot leaning toward another club project rather than a national-team role.
Slot’s reputation was built during his time at Feyenoord, which earned him a three-year contract with Liverpool. Taking over from Jürgen Klopp was never going to be straightforward, but he managed to claim Premier League glory in his debut season at Anfield.
Liverpool’s follow-up campaign was far less successful. After a summer spend of nearly £450 million ($606.7 million) on players including Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitiké, the club finished fifth and only just secured Champions League qualification. The season ended with Slot being sacked and replaced by Andoni Iraola.
In another summer, a manager of Slot’s standing might have been quickly picked up by a leading English side. But with those moves already made elsewhere, the Dutchman is left waiting for the right opening.
Al Ahli
Saudi Pro League Weighs Salah and Vinicius as 2026 Recruitment Pivot
Saudi clubs targeting Mohamed Salah and Vinicius Junior as veteran departures open 2026 opportunity.
The Saudi Pro League has identified Mohamed Salah and Vinicius Junior as headline targets as the competition plans another recruitment push. League owners are positioned to capitalise on a changing roster of high-profile arrivals whose contracts begin to expire in 2026.
Salah has long featured on Saudi wishlists. Making a ‘local’ Arab star the face of the league would carry major regional significance. Interest in Salah “has been no secret in the past. But with his Liverpool future uncertain beyond this season following a difficult few months, the Telegraph has reported that Saudi interest is rising again.” Enquiries regarding the possibility of prising him away from Liverpool this month are said to have failed. The 33-year-old faces a decision in the coming months about whether to leave Anfield and, if so, whether to remain in Europe or move further afield. There is no doubt that the money on offer in Saudi Arabia cannot be rivalled anywhere else.
Vinicius Junior represents a different proposition. At 25 he is notably younger than many recent signings to the league. Contract talks with Real Madrid stalled due to a strained relationship with Xabi Alonso, and the player is reported to be seeking a salary Madrid are unwilling to meet as he seeks to re-establish alpha dog status. With his contract running until 2027 the Brazilian is approaching a career crossroad and will need to choose his next step.
The pathway for fresh investment is partly created by impending contract expiries among the first wave of arrivals. Several veteran stars at Saudi clubs are on track to become free agents in 2026, potentially freeing funds for new signings. Clubs with common ownership among the biggest domestic teams are well funded and can present competitive proposals to players and their advisers.
The dynamic is simple: a transition from an opening era of veteran imports to a new recruitment phase that targets elite talent still in their peak years. For the Saudi Pro League, Salah and Vinicius Jr are emblematic of that next phase.
