Roger Ibanez is headed to Al-Ahli. While the two sides are finalizing their agreement, José Mourinho announced his departure on Instagram.
“Be happy, ‘garoto.’ I know you’ll miss me. Thank you for your last jersey. Now you can pay for an adequate dinner for my staff and me. Enjoy Saudi Arabia.”
The 24-year-old will leave after collecting 149 appearances since joining in 2019. The club will register a robust profit since they had acquired him for €9M from Atalanta.
According to Gianluca Di Marzio, Al-Ahli will disburse €28.5M to purchase Ibanez from Roma. The package includes €3M add-ons and a 20-percent resale clause. The Giallorossi will get ten percent of a future sale. He’ll earn 7.5M per year, five times what he was making in the Italian capital.
The Saudi club outbid Nottingham Forest, which had first laid eyes on him. The Tricky Trees initially tendered €18M, then raised their proposal to €25M, plus €5M bonuses and 15 percent of a future sale. However, the formula was a loan with an obligation to buy, which wasn’t as enticing.
Our Take on Ibanez to Al-Ahli
The fee isn’t crazy high but extremely solid, especially for somebody that has been for sale for the entire window. They’ll have to complete their rearguard, but most of the money will quickly be invested in a striker, preferably multiple ones.
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