English Premier League
Al Ahli cancel sporting director Rui Pedro’s contract after fan backlash
Al Ahli have cancelled the contract of sporting director Rui Pedro after supporters launched a campaign calling for him to be removed over the club’s handling of their summer transfer business.
The decision was reported by Saudi journalist Waleed Saeed on his personal account on X, only a few hours after angry Al Ahli fans began demanding the Portuguese executive’s dismissal.
Supporters’ frustration intensified during a transfer window they believe has been poorly managed, with criticism initially focused on the signing of Ukrainian midfielder Artem Bondarenko from Shakhtar.
Many Al Ahli fans objected to Bondarenko’s arrival, arguing that he was not of the required standard. Their concerns were amplified by the fact that he was expected to replace Ivory Coast midfielder Franck Kessie.
The mood surrounding the club worsened further when reports emerged that Al Ahli were close to signing Pape Cabral from Monaco. The Senegalese-born midfielder made only 114 minutes of appearances for the French club last season, a statistic that prompted further criticism from supporters.
Fans also accused Pedro of wasting the club’s financial resources. Reports claimed Al Ahli would pay 12m euros for Cabral, despite the player having a market value of only 1.2m euros.
The dispute comes during a period of wider uncertainty for Al Ahli. The club have parted company with Algeria international Riyad Mahrez and Kessie during the current transfer market, while they also failed to retain former German manager Matthias Jaissle.
Jaissle subsequently moved to Newcastle United, leaving Al Ahli without a coach who had previously been in charge of the team.
Pedro had held the sporting director’s position at Al Ahli since October last year. Before moving to Saudi Arabia, he occupied the same role at Portuguese club Benfica from 2021 to 2025.
The decision to end his contract followed a rapid escalation in opposition from the club’s supporters. Their campaign centred on the belief that Al Ahli’s recruitment strategy was weakening the squad rather than strengthening it, particularly with the proposed changes in midfield and the departures of established players.
The reaction illustrates the influence Al Ahli supporters have had over the club’s transfer discussions in recent hours. Their public campaign focused directly on Pedro’s responsibility for recruitment and ultimately preceded the announcement that his contract had been cancelled.
Al Ahli’s current transfer activity has therefore become the immediate backdrop to the sporting director’s departure, with the club under pressure after a sequence of controversial decisions involving Bondarenko, Cabral, Mahrez, Kessie and Jaissle.
