Al-Ittihad Targets Ritsu Doan as Diaby Replacement

Al-Ittihad are closing on one of their headline targets of the summer, moving to plug a major gap in their attack after a turbulent window in Jeddah.

According to Saudi newspaper Al-Riyadiah, the club have reached an agreement with Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt for Japan international Ritsu Doan. Only minor contractual details remain before the transfer is made official, with both clubs understood to be waiting on final formalities.

Doan’s expected arrival comes on the back of a key departure. French winger Moussa Diaby has left Al-Ittihad for Bayer Leverkusen, a move that stripped “the Dean” of one of their most prominent attacking weapons and forced the hierarchy back into the market for a new forward.

They have turned to a player built for flexibility. Doan can operate across several attacking roles, offering options on either flank or in more central areas, and carries valuable experience from his years in European football. That blend of versatility and know-how is exactly what Al-Ittihad’s rebuild demands as they move away from many of the names that shaped the previous project.

The Saudi outlet reports that the agreement between Al-Ittihad and Eintracht Frankfurt is already in place, leaving only a handful of details to be ironed out before the Japanese international is unveiled as an Al-Ittihad player. For the Jeddah club, the announcement now feels like a question of timing rather than doubt.

Doan’s signing is part of a broader recruitment drive after a summer of sweeping change. The board want to equip the coach with a squad capable of executing his ideas and giving “the Dean” a sharper, more modern identity in the Roshn League this season.

If the move is finalised, Ritsu Doan will effectively step into the space vacated by Diaby, tasked with restoring — and raising — Al-Ittihad’s attacking edge. The fans are left waiting for the club’s confirmation and the sight of a new Japanese star walking into a very different Al-Ittihad dressing room.