Al Ahli
Yashin Trophy 2026 shortlists reveal established names and fresh contenders
The 2026 Yashin Trophy shortlists are out, with new contenders joining familiar goalkeeping names.
The 2026 Yashin Trophy race has taken shape, with 10 men and five women named on the latest shortlists for football’s top goalkeeping honour.
There will be a new men’s winner this year after Gianluigi Donnarumma, who led the rankings in 2025, was not included among the nominees. That opens the door for a wide-open contest featuring several familiar figures and a few first-time entrants.
Thibaut Courtois is again in the mix, underlining the standing he has built over several years. Barcelona’s Joan García has also earned a first nomination after a season that put him firmly among the leading candidates. Arsenal’s David Raya, last season’s Premier League Golden Glove winner, is on the list too, while Emiliano Martínez returns to the spotlight after being nominated for his work with former employers Aston Villa and later joining Chelsea this summer.
The men’s shortlist also includes Matvey Safonov and Gregor Kobel, plus the Saudi Arabia-based pair of Yassine Bounou and Édouard Mendy. Unai Simón is recognised after helping Spain to World Cup glory, while Vozinha completes the lineup after another notable campaign at 40 years old.
Courtois and Martínez have both lifted the prize before, with Martínez a two-time winner in 2023 and 2024.
On the women’s side, Hannah Hampton is back after becoming the first winner of the Women’s Yashin Trophy last year. She is joined by Ann-Katrin Berger and Cata Coll, who finished second and third in the inaugural edition. Manchester City’s Ayaka Yamashita and Kansas City Current’s Lorena complete the women’s shortlist.
The full lists confirm a competition that mixes proven pedigree with new challengers, and the final outcome now depends on which goalkeeper can turn nomination into the highest honour.
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.
