Unai Hernandez Joins Girona on Loan from Al-Ittihad

Al-Ittihad have reached an agreement with Girona to send Spanish midfielder Unai Hernandez to the La Liga club on loan as part of a wider shake-up of the Jeddah side’s squad.

According to Saudi daily Al-Riyadiah, the deal is for a season-long loan and includes an option for Girona to buy the 20-year-old outright when the spell ends. The Catalan club will pay only a limited portion of his salary, with Al-Ittihad covering the remainder after their board reviewed and approved the proposal.

Hernandez joined Al-Ittihad from Barcelona in February 2025 on a three-year contract, arriving as one of the “Doyen’s” picks and with expectations that he would grow into a key creative piece. He showed flashes early on: 10 appearances, one goal, three assists. Then the minutes dried up.

His involvement shrank dramatically last season. He featured just once for Al-Ittihad, against Al-Nassr in the Saudi Super Cup semi-final, before being pushed further down the pecking order.

The response was a mid-season loan to Al-Shabab, where he finally saw regular action. Hernandez played 31 matches there, but his end product stalled — no goals and just a single assist across the campaign.

Now comes a very different test. Girona, with their high-tempo, possession-heavy football in Spain, offer him a fresh stage and Al-Ittihad a chance to reset both their wage bill and their midfield options ahead of the new season.