Sami Al-Dawsari to stay at Al Hilal next season despite exit rumours

Al Hilal have decided to keep star forward and club captain Salem Al-Dawsari for next season, ending weeks of speculation linking the Saudi international with a move away from the Riyadh giants.

Reports in recent days had suggested the 32-year-old was edging towards a summer exit, with Saudi First Division side Al Diriyah and several clubs in the Qatar Stars League said to be monitoring his situation.

Those rumours intensified amid claims that new Italian head coach Simone Inzaghi did not see Al-Dawsari as a central figure in his plans and was prepared to reduce him to a role coming off the bench.

However, Saudi newspaper Al-Yaum has reported that Al Hilal’s hierarchy have reached a firm decision to retain the winger for the 2025-26 campaign and will not sanction his departure in the upcoming transfer window.

The club are understood to have rejected the idea of any loan or permanent move, effectively drawing a line under talk of an imminent separation between one of their greatest modern icons and the reigning Saudi Pro League champions.

Final season confirmed for Al Hilal icon

While Al-Dawsari will remain with Al Hilal next term, it is set to be his last with the club.

The forward, widely regarded as one of the finest players in Al Hilal’s history, signed his most recent contract in 2025 on a two-year deal, which runs until the end of the 2026-27 season.

Next season will therefore be the final year of that agreement, with no indication so far that either party is moving to extend it.

Al-Dawsari has become synonymous with Al Hilal’s modern era of dominance, winning multiple league titles and continental honours and establishing himself as a mainstay of the Saudi national team.

His status as a club legend has made any discussion of his future a highly sensitive subject among supporters, many of whom had voiced concern over suggestions that he was being phased out under Inzaghi.

Drop in form under Inzaghi fuels speculation

The uncertainty over Al-Dawsari’s future followed a noticeable dip in his performances last season.

The winger struggled to reach his previous levels both for Al Hilal and for the Saudi Arabia national team, prompting questions over whether he could continue to play a leading role at the highest level.

Reports in the local media claimed Simone Inzaghi was planning to use “التورنيدو” – Al-Dawsari’s famous nickname, “the Tornado” – more regularly as an impact substitute rather than as an automatic starter.

Such a shift in status was seen as a possible trigger for a summer move, particularly with interest reported from Qatar and from within Saudi Arabia.

But Al Hilal’s latest stance suggests the club still believe the veteran can contribute meaningfully in what will be his farewell season in their colours.

Legacy secure despite recent struggles

Despite his recent downturn in form, Al-Dawsari’s legacy at Al Hilal appears secure.

He is widely described in Saudi media as one of the club’s all-time greats, having delivered consistently at domestic, continental and international level over the past decade.

Although last season was challenging for both player and club under a new managerial regime, Al Hilal’s decision to retain him underlines his enduring value in the dressing room as captain and leader, as well as on the pitch.

With clarity now emerging over his immediate future, attention will turn to whether Al-Dawsari can rediscover his best form and bring his final Al Hilal season to a close in a manner befitting one of the club’s greatest servants.