Fabinho's Contract Standoff Threatens Al-Ittihad Stability

Al-Ittihad know exactly what life looks like with Fabinho anchoring their midfield. They also know what it costs. Right now, that bill is tearing open a fault line inside the Jeddah club.

The 32-year-old Brazilian, signed from Liverpool in the summer of 2023 for 46.7 million euros, has seen his contract run down. His deal expired at the end of last season, just as he completed a relentless stretch as the heartbeat of Al-Ameed’s engine room.

The club want him to stay. Desperately.

A renewal on reduced terms

Sports media figure Mohammed Al-Bukairy has confirmed that Al-Ittihad’s company is pushing to extend Fabinho’s contract by one year, which would keep him at the club until the end of June 2027. On paper, that sounds like stability. In reality, the offer landed badly.

Al-Ittihad’s management tabled a proposal that would see Fabinho earn less in annual salary and benefits than he received over the past three seasons. For a player who has carried such a heavy load, that cut was never going to pass quietly.

According to Al-Bukairy, Fabinho and his agent immediately voiced their displeasure. Negotiations have not collapsed, but they have hardened. Both sides are now trying to edge towards a figure that sits close to his previous wage of 25 million euros a year.

The club are arguing from a position of financial recalibration. The player is arguing from a position of performance and status. Something has to give.

Echoes of Benzema

This is not the first time Al-Ittihad have tried to tighten the belt around a superstar.

The tension around Fabinho’s camp inevitably brings back memories of Karim Benzema’s bitter exit. The French striker, dubbed “the Government” by supporters, walked away from Al-Ittihad on a free transfer in the 2026 winter window after refusing to accept reduced terms.

Back then, the club wanted to renew Benzema’s deal, but on a lower salary. He did not entertain the idea. Talks broke down, tempers flared, and Benzema demanded a contract termination so he could leave.

He got his wish. He joined Al-Hilal on a contract running until June 2027. Ironically, the capital club are now trying to offload him, with no room for him in their technical plans and no buyer yet willing to take on the package.

That saga left scars at Al-Ittihad. Now, with Fabinho, the warning signs are flashing again.

The weight of a cornerstone

If this were a fringe player, the debate would be simple. But Fabinho is not a squad piece. He is the structure.

Since arriving in the summer of 2023, the Brazilian has played 111 matches for Al-Ittihad across all competitions, scoring seven goals and providing nine assists. Those numbers only hint at his influence. He screens the defence, dictates tempo, and gives the more expressive players a platform to attack.

His fingerprints were all over the club’s 2024–2025 double, a season that delivered both the Saudi Roshn League title and the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup. When the team needed control, he supplied it. When they needed steel, he delivered that too.

That is the version of Fabinho the board are trying to keep. That is also the version of Fabinho who feels he has earned every cent of his current bracket.

Temptation from Brazil, priority elsewhere

While Al-Ittihad wrestle with their numbers, other clubs are circling.

Several Brazilian newspapers report that Cruzeiro and Palmeiras are keen on bringing the 32-year-old home this summer. Both see a leader who can anchor a midfield and shift standards in the dressing room.

Fabinho’s camp, though, has its own hierarchy of options. For now, he is giving priority to European and Saudi clubs. The message is clear: he still believes he can operate at the sharp end of the game, on contracts that reflect that status.

So the clock ticks. Al-Ittihad want to avoid another Benzema-style implosion, but they also want to reshape their wage bill. Fabinho wants respect in numbers, not just in words.

One side will have to step closer to the other. The only real question is whether Al-Ittihad are prepared to pay again for the security of the man who already helped deliver their last great haul of trophies—or risk watching another pillar of their project walk away for nothing.