Al-Ittihad Nears Ritsu Doan Transfer as Diaby Replacement

Al-Ittihad are moving fast. The Saudi giants are on the brink of sealing a deal for one of their priority targets this window, with only the final strokes of paperwork standing between Ritsu Doan and a move to Jeddah.

According to Saudi newspaper Al-Riyadiah, Al-Ittihad have reached an agreement with Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt for the transfer of the Japan international, clearing the way for Doan to swap European football for the Roshn League.

This is not a luxury signing. It is a direct response to a major departure.

Moussa Diaby’s exit to Bayer Leverkusen ripped a hole in Al-Ittihad’s attack and forced the club into the market for a forward who could not only cover those responsibilities, but expand the team’s attacking options in the final third. Doan fits that brief.

Comfortable across multiple attacking roles and hardened by years in Europe, the 26-year-old offers flexibility and experience in equal measure. For a club in the middle of a rebuild, that profile is gold dust.

Inside the deal

Al-Riyadiah reports that the agreement between Al-Ittihad and Eintracht Frankfurt is already in place, with both clubs simply waiting on a few contractual formalities before the move becomes official. The expectation inside the club is that the announcement is a question of when, not if.

Doan’s arrival slots into a broader recruitment drive after a turbulent summer at Al-Ittihad. Several big names from the previous project have moved on, and the hierarchy is intent on handing the coach a refreshed squad capable of executing a new identity on the pitch.

A new look for “the Dean”

For “the Dean”, Doan is more than a headline name. He is a structural piece.

His ability to operate wide, drift inside, and link play between the lines gives Al-Ittihad the kind of tactical flexibility they have been searching for since Diaby’s departure. It is exactly the sort of signing that can tilt a season if it clicks quickly.

Ritsu Doan now stands on the verge of succeeding Diaby in the Al-Ittihad squad, a move that promises a significant boost to their attacking arsenal. All that remains is the official confirmation — and the moment Jeddah finally gets to welcome the Japanese international into the club’s new project.