Saudi Al Ahli to sign Senegalese player Jaye from Villarreal
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The Saudi club Al-Ahli is monitoring the file of Senegalese midfielder Babi Gaye, who plays for Spanish La Liga side Villarreal, according to the French newspaper L’Equipe. The newspaper reported that Al-Ahli has not yet
Translated by Qiyas from الأنباء — Original source
The Saudi club Al-Ahli is monitoring the file of Senegalese midfielder Babi Gaye, who plays for Spanish La Liga side Villarreal, according to the French newspaper L’Equipe. The newspaper reported that Al-Ahli has not yet submitted an official offer to the “Yellow Submarines” management, but is moving to open negotiations soon.
In the same context, the Spanish newspaper Marca indicated that Villarreal’s management has set a price tag of 40 million euros for Gaye’s departure. It confirmed that Al-Ahli’s management has listed Gaye among its top priorities to replace Ivorian forward Franck Kessié, whose contract with the Jeddah-based green club expires at the end of this summer.
Before joining Villarreal, Gaye played for Olympique Marseille, Sevilla, and Le Havre. Throughout his career, he has made 287 appearances, scoring 18 goals and providing 10 assists.
Meanwhile, English striker Ivan Toney has joined Al-Ahli’s training sessions in preparation for the new season. Toney had been granted additional leave after representing his national team at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The English striker is expected to continue training with Al-Ahli under the guidance of Dutch coach Marino Pušić, who has begun his duties with the club ahead of the new campaign. Toney is considered one of the key attacking assets in Al-Ahli’s ranks since his arrival, and his presence represents a significant addition for coach Pušić, particularly given the technical staff’s desire to leverage his goal-scoring abilities and experience in high-stakes matches.
On another note, the Saudi club Al-Qadsiah defeated Bahraini side Al-Riffa 6-2 in the fifth and final match of their pre-season preparation program on Friday at Prince Mohammed bin Fahd Stadium in Dammam.
The Eastern Province team secured two victories in their summer friendlies, the most recent being a 5-1 win over Al-Hilal in their previous match. Prior to that, they suffered a 1-0 defeat against Spanish side Levante, and drew goallessly with Spanish clubs Girona and Real Oviedo.
Al-Qadsiah will kick off their campaign in the next edition of the Saudi Pro League (Rooshn League) on August 13, facing Al-Shabab in the opening round.
