Al-Ittihad Set to Sign Ritsu Doan as Diaby Replacement

Al-Ittihad are moving fast. With one major attacking star already out the door this summer, the Jeddah giants are on the verge of landing his successor.

According to Saudi newspaper Al-Riyadiah, Al-Ittihad have reached an agreement with Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt for Japan international Ritsu Doan. Only final contractual details remain before the deal is made official and Doan is unveiled as the latest addition to the Roshn League.

The move is designed to plug a significant gap. Moussa Diaby has departed for Bayer Leverkusen, leaving “the Dean” short of a dynamic presence in the final third. His exit forced the club to scour Europe for an attacker who could not only replace his output, but also broaden the team’s attacking options.

Doan fits that brief. The Japanese forward is comfortable across several attacking roles, able to drift wide, operate between the lines, or drive directly at goal. On top of that, he arrives with solid European experience, a profile Al-Ittihad’s hierarchy see as essential as they reshape a squad that once revolved around a very different core of names.

Al-Riyadiah reports that the agreement between Al-Ittihad and Eintracht Frankfurt is already in place. Both clubs are simply working through the final formalities before the player officially joins the Jeddah side. For supporters, it now feels like a countdown rather than a negotiation.

Doan’s impending signing is part of a broader recruitment push after a turbulent summer. The club’s management want to arm their coach with a deeper, more flexible group capable of executing his ideas and giving “the Dean” a fresh identity in the new campaign.

If all goes as expected, Ritsu Doan will step straight into the space left by Diaby and shoulder a key share of the attacking responsibility. The message is clear: Al-Ittihad do not intend to stand still. Now, the fans wait for the announcement—and for the first glimpse of how this Japanese addition will reshape their team’s front line.