Marcelino Set to Replace Jaissle at Al-Ahli
Al-Ahli’s bench has become the hottest seat in Saudi football, and one name keeps circling above it: Marcelino.
The former Villarreal coach has suddenly been thrust to the front of the queue to take charge of the Jeddah giants next season, as the club braces for life after Matthias Jaissle.
Jaissle out, Newcastle calling
Jaissle’s resignation, reported on Thursday, hit Al-Ahli like a late tackle. The German is expected to take over at Newcastle United next season, lined up as the successor to Eddie Howe and leaving Al-Ahli scrambling for a replacement with the new campaign almost upon them.
Once word of his departure spread, the usual transfer specialists went to work. Names, rumours, theories — all flying. But one candidate quickly rose above the noise.
Aouna says ‘done’, Romano says ‘not yet’
On Saturday morning, French journalist Santi Aouna dropped the first big development. He reported that Marcelino is close to landing the Al-Ahli job, having agreed to the offer recently placed on the table.
That seemed to set the narrative. A proven La Liga operator, a strong personality, a coach used to pressure. It all fit.
Then came the twist.
Fabrizio Romano, the most followed voice in the transfer market, pushed back. In a post on X, the Italian insisted that neither Marcelino nor Xavi Hernandez are close to taking the Al-Ahli role. The brakes went on. The story, for a moment, stalled.
Aouna answered with another update, this time in Arabic. He doubled down, stating that Marcelino has already agreed to coach “Al-Raqi” on a two-year contract, with only one obstacle left on the table: the composition of his backroom staff.
So the picture is clear in one sense and blurred in another. Agreement in principle, according to one well-sourced reporter. No deal close, according to another. The tug-of-war is not over the name, but over how advanced the talks really are.
Clock ticking toward 13 August
What is not in dispute is the urgency.
Al-Ahli begin their Roshn League campaign in less than two weeks. On 13 August they face Al-Diriyah in the first round, a fixture that will not wait for contract clauses or staff negotiations to be ironed out.
Supporters know it. They want clarity, and quickly. A coach, a staff, a plan.
If Marcelino is indeed the man, the final details over his staff must be settled at speed. If he is not, Al-Ahli face the prospect of ripping up the script and starting again with the season already on the horizon.
The club’s next move will say a lot about how serious Al-Ahli are about turning promise into power in the Roshn League — and how ready they are to match the ambition of their restless fans.
