Al-Ittihad's Ritsu Doan Deal Nears Completion

Al-Ittihad are wasting no time reshaping their attack. The Jeddah giants have an agreement in place with Eintracht Frankfurt for Japan international Ritsu Doan, with only minor contractual details standing between the winger and a move to the Roshn League, according to Saudi outlet Al-Riyadiah.

The message from the club is clear: reset, reload, and do it quickly.

Doan is being lined up as the man to plug the gap left by Moussa Diaby, who has departed for Bayer Leverkusen. Diaby’s exit stripped “the Dean” of one of their most dynamic forwards and forced the hierarchy back into the market for a player who can both replace that output and expand the team’s attacking options.

They believe they’ve found that profile in Doan.

Capable of operating across several roles in the final third, the Japanese attacker offers the kind of tactical flexibility modern coaches crave. He can drift wide, drop into pockets, or attack the box from deeper positions, and he arrives with a solid bank of European experience behind him. For an Al-Ittihad side in the middle of a rebuild, that blend of versatility and know-how is gold.

The agreement with Eintracht Frankfurt is described as done, with both clubs now simply working through the last formalities before the transfer becomes official. No haggling, no late drama – just signatures and timing. The announcement, by all accounts, is close.

This is not an isolated move. Doan’s expected arrival forms part of a broader recruitment drive after a turbulent summer in Jeddah. Al-Ittihad’s management are intent on handing their coach a refreshed squad, one capable of translating his ideas on the pitch and giving “the Dean” a sharper, more modern identity.

Doan’s role in that vision is obvious. Step into Diaby’s space. Add his own twist. Lift an attack that needs new life.

For now, the fans wait. They know the deal is almost there, they know a key attacking piece is about to walk through the door, and they know this signing will say a lot about where Al-Ittihad want to go in this new era.