Saudi Transfer Window Opens Early as Al-Hilal Plan To Sign Abderrazak Hamdallah | OneFootball

The Saudi transfer window will now open on July 3, 17 days earlier than scheduled. The Saudi Football Federation announced In a twist no one saw coming, Al-Hilal are signing Abderrazak Hamdallah from Al-Shabab on a short-term deal, just for the Club World Cup. And to make it happen, the Saudi Football Federation has officially brought the summer transfer window forward by 17 days. It will now open on July 3, with the express purpose of letting Hilal register Hamdallah for their quarter-final tie against Fluminense.

The move is temporary. Abderrazak Hamdallah is expected to play just one match before returning to Al-Shabab. But what a match it could be.

Hilal’s Injury Crisis Forces the Issue

Al-Hilal’s need for a striker has become urgent. Aleksandar Mitrović is nursing a leg injury picked up in training before their opening match against Real Madrid. He’s yet to feature in the tournament, and according to Al-Reyadeya, his chances of playing at all are now “very slim”.

Marcus Leonardo, the young Brazilian striker signed from Santos, is also injured. And with Salem Al-Dawsari ruled out for the rest of the tournament following a muscle tear against RB Salzburg, the squad is running thin.

A Window Rewritten for One Game

The Saudi FA confirmed on Tuesday night that the domestic transfer window would now open on July 3, rather than the previously scheduled July 20. The decision was posted without fanfare, but the timing speaks volumes.

With the Club World Cup already underway and FIFA registration deadlines in place, Al-Hilal needed the window open immediately to get Abderrazak Hamdallah eligible. That’s exactly what they got.

For neutral observers, it’s a fascinating glimpse into the control Al-Hilal continues to wield in Saudi football. For fans of rival clubs, it’s confirmation of what many have long suspected: that rules will always be bent when the blue side of Riyadh is involved.

A Divisive Signing

Even within Al-Hilal’s own fanbase, this move has caused friction. Abderrazak Hamdallah is undeniably a top striker, his record across Al-Nassr, Al-Ittihad and Al-Shabab is unmatched in Saudi football. But he’s also one of the most disliked figures among Hilal supporters.

He’s celebrated in their faces, taunted their players, and scored against them more times than they’d care to count. In terms of optics, this is like Sergio Ramos turning up at the Camp Nou — the badge is wrong, the colours are wrong, but somehow the move is real.

Yet, in the current situation, all that history might not matter.

The Numbers Don’t Lie

Abderrazak Hamdallah’s scoring record speaks for itself:

That’s 150 goals in 163 Saudi Pro League matches. At 33 years old, he’s still among the most efficient strikers in the region. And when you need someone to win a one-off knockout tie, that kind of pedigree matters.

Not Everyone’s Playing by the Same Rules

It’s worth noting that Al-Shabab are not one of the clubs owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), unlike Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr, Al-Ittihad and Al-Ahli. That’s important context. A club outside the elite PIF circle is being asked — or possibly told — to let their top scorer join a rival for a game that might benefit the league’s image more than their own standing. They’re likely being paid handsomely for the privilege too.

Fluminense Await

Al-Hilal’s prize for beating Manchester City 4–3 in the Round of 16? A quarter-final showdown with Fluminense, who eliminated Inter Milan. It’s a tough draw, and without a proper striker, Hilal’s hopes would have faded quickly.

That’s why this move was rushed through. One game. One striker. One very peculiar deal.

A One-Off That Says a Lot

Whether Hamdallah scores or not, this is a scenario that raises big questions about competition, governance, and fairness. But in the short term, Al-Hilal will not care. They’ve lost their best attackers to injury, and now they’ve brought in a proven finisher — even if he’s the last man their fans ever expected to cheer for.

And if he scores the winner to send them into the semi-finals? You can bet the jeers will turn into chants. Football is fickle like that.