ROME — AS Roma have finalized an agreement with Saudi Pro League giants Al-Hilal for the permanent transfer of right-back Saud Abdulhamid, according to reports on Sunday. The Saudi national team defender is set to join the Giallorossi for a guaranteed fee of €2.5 million, with performance-based add-ons potentially increasing the deal's value to €3 million, as reported by transfer expert Fabrizio Romano. Abdulhamid is expected to arrive in Rome to undergo a medical on Monday. Should the move be completed, he will make history as the first Saudi player to compete professionally in Serie A. The 25-year-old has earned 26 caps for Saudi Arabia at the senior level and was a key player in his country's squad at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Notably, he played the full 90 minutes in Saudi Arabia's historic 2-1 victory over eventual champions Argentina. In the wake of Abdulhamid's departure, Al-Hilal are reportedly targeting Manchester City full-back Joao Cancelo, who has fallen out of favor at his current club, as a potential replacement.
