Al-Ahli to offload third foreign star as 2026-27 rebuild gathers pace

Saudi giants Al-Ahli are preparing to part ways with a third foreign player ahead of the 2026-27 season, with French midfielder Enzo Millot set to follow Franck Kessie and Riyad Mahrez out of the Jeddah club.

The Pro League side has already confirmed the exits of Ivory Coast midfielder Kessie and Algeria winger Mahrez after three seasons at the club, and is now looking to move on Millot just one year after signing him.

According to Saudi newspaper Arriyadiyah, sporting director Rui Pedro has decided to sacrifice the 22-year-old and is actively seeking a suitable offer to sell or loan the player before the new campaign.

Millot’s swift fall from fast start

Millot joined Al-Ahli from German side Stuttgart in last summer’s transfer window and made an immediate impact, starting the season in impressive form.

However, his performances dipped notably in the latter stages of the campaign, prompting the club’s hierarchy to reconsider his place in the squad as they reshape the team for next season.

Despite his downturn in form, the Frenchman’s overall numbers remained solid. Millot featured in 40 matches across all competitions for Al-Ahli last season, scoring nine goals and providing seven assists.

The club now believes it can upgrade in central midfield, particularly in advanced positions, as it looks to build a squad capable of challenging at the top of the Saudi Pro League and in regional competitions.

Search under way for midfield replacement

Arriyadiyah reports that Al-Ahli have already begun the process of identifying a new midfielder to replace Millot, contingent on receiving an acceptable offer for the Frenchman in the coming days.

The focus is understood to be on players who can contribute creatively in the final third, complementing the attacking profile the club has been developing over recent transfer windows.

“The Raqi” – as Al-Ahli are known – have already moved to strengthen their options in and around midfield with the signings of Armenia international Eduard Spertsyan and Portuguese attacker Francisco Trincao.

Both Spertsyan and Trincao are capable of operating in advanced midfield or wide attacking roles, indicating a clear strategy to add more flair and goal threat behind the main striker.

Strategic foreign-player reshuffle

The departure of three high-profile foreign names in a single window underlines the scale of Al-Ahli’s planned overhaul.

Kessie, a powerful box-to-box midfielder, and Mahrez, a former Premier League and Champions League winner with Manchester City, were centrepieces of the club’s project following its major investment drive.

Letting them go, along with Millot after just one season, suggests the sporting department is recalibrating its recruitment strategy and squad balance, possibly to comply with foreign-player limits while refreshing key positions.

With the 2026-27 season approaching, Al-Ahli’s transfer activity – particularly the search for Millot’s replacement – is expected to intensify, as the club aims to assemble a side capable of matching the ambitions of Saudi Arabia’s rapidly evolving football landscape.