Gerrard suffers Saudi Arabia blow as star follows in Henderson’s footsteps | All Football

Steven Gerrard faces new problems at Al-Ettifaq, with star midfielder Seko Fofana set to leave the club in January.

Gerrard has endured a difficult time in charge of the Saudi Pro League outfit, despite spending heavily to create a star-studded squad. That spending has not led to positive results, with Ettifaq in 11th in the table, just six points clear of the relegation zone.

They also recently went on a nine-game winless run in the league, which led to the sacking of assistant boss Dean Holden and sporting director Mark Allen. The winter break has given Gerrard a chance to restock.

But on the eve of the January transfer window, there was a big blow to the boss who was in a difficult situation. After losing captain Jordan Henderson in the January window last season, it looks like Fofana will follow in the Englishman’s footsteps.

According to Le Parisien, the Ivorian midfielder is closing in on a return to European football with Ligue 1 Rennes. The mid-table side have held ‘successful discussions’ with Fofana.

The 29-year-old is expected to cut short his 18-month stay in Saudi Arabia, having been made a top priority by Renees. It is understood he has already passed his medical and should complete his move shortly after the window opens.

Fofana moved to Saudi in the summer of 2023 to join Al-Nassr and has been loaned out twice to Ettifaq. He was offered a move to another club in Saudi Arabia, but has instead chosen to return to Europe.

Rennes will pay Nassr a fee of around £17 million to secure his signature. Fofana’s departure will be a bitter blow for Gerrard, with the Ivory Coast international having started all but two of Ettifaq’s league games this season.

Gerrard has only just brought Ettifaq back to winning ways in the first game in Saudi Arabia, after leading them to a 2-1 win over Al-Khaleej in their last game before the winter break. He had been hoping to use the break to reset his side for the second half of the campaign.

“Everyone played a role in the game and we were keen to improve our performance in the league. Winning a derby game was a critical opportunity to get back on the winning track in the league,” he said following the victory.

“Our plan now is to enjoy the win today. The players really deserve it based on their effort during this period. During the break, there will be some time off to see our families and then we will have significant work to the training camp.

“It is important not to dwell too much on today’s result. There is still a lot to work on, defensively and offensively. We will continue to work with the players individually and collectively to develop and improve our league performance.