Why Didier Deschamps talks with Al-Ahli broke down

French reports have revealed why negotiations between Al-Ahli Saudi FC and experienced coach Didier Deschamps failed to reach a conclusion, despite the former France manager being one of the leading candidates to replace Matthias Jaissle.

According to French broadcaster RMC, Deschamps had not ruled out the possibility of taking charge of Al-Ahli. He was understood to be open in principle to working in the Saudi Pro League, particularly because of the club’s sporting project and its considerable ambitions.

However, the discussions failed to make the progress required. The report attributed the difficulty to the way strategic decisions are made within Saudi clubs, where responsibility is not limited to a single party.

Several organisations are involved in shaping major decisions, meaning negotiations can take longer than expected. The process can also lead to changes in direction while talks are still under way, making it harder for a potential manager and club to establish a clear route towards an agreement.

The issue was particularly significant in relation to a high-profile appointment such as Deschamps. Major deals at Saudi clubs are not decided solely by the club’s own administration, according to the report. In a number of important transfers and appointments, the Public Investment Fund has the final say.

That structure added further complexity to the negotiations with Deschamps, which eventually came to a complete stop.

Deschamps, who remains one of the most prominent figures in French football, had emerged as one of the headline names linked with the Al-Ahli job after the departure of German coach Jaissle. His possible arrival would have represented a major appointment for a club seeking to match its ambitions with a high-profile manager.

Instead, Al-Ahli have moved in a different direction. The club have reached an agreement with Dutch coach Marino Pusic to lead the team for the next two seasons.

The appointment followed the decision to move away from several other major names who had been associated with the Al-Ahli position. The conclusion of the deal with Pusic brings an end to one of the most closely watched managerial situations in this summer’s coaching market.

The negotiations with Deschamps therefore broke down not because he rejected the idea of managing Al-Ahli from the outset, but because the decision-making process surrounding the proposed move proved too complicated for an agreement to be completed.

With Pusic now selected to take charge for the next two seasons, Al-Ahli’s search for a successor to Jaissle is over. The club’s attention can turn to implementing its sporting project under a new manager after Deschamps became one of several high-profile candidates whose potential appointment did not materialise.