Official Announcement: Vinicius Transfer to Saudi Arabia Called Off

Al Ahli Abandoned Vinicius Transfer Due to Tactical Shift, Signs Ivan Toney Instead

Al Ahli President Khalid Al-Issa has provided clarity on the club’s pursuit of Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr. during the summer transfer window, confirming that the Saudi Pro League club ultimately abandoned the move.

Al-Issa revealed that Al Ahli’s initial interest in signing Vinicius Jr. as a winger was dropped after the surprise promotion of Firas Al-Braikan to the first team. As a result, the club shifted focus to strengthening their striker options, eventually signing Ivan Toney from Brentford.

Speaking to Koora Rotana, Al-Issa explained:

“The authorised technical committee, which includes the technical director, decided to move on from Maximin as it was easier in terms of the sale process, and the deal price could be covered by another club. There was a strong desire to sign Vinicius, a very talented winger from Real Madrid, but something unexpected happened during negotiations. With Firas Al-Braikan’s departure, our priority shifted from the wing to the striker position, leading us to start negotiations with Ivan Toney and Victor Osimhen. We concluded the process with Toney’s arrival.”