New Delhi: Young Barcelona midfielder Unai Hernandez has officially signed with Saudi Arabian club Al Ittihad for an initial fee of €4.5 million, beginning a new chapter in his career. The transfer was finalised swiftly, allowing him to transition from being a standout player for the Catalan reserve team to wearing the Al Ittihad jersey.
The 20-year-old is embarking on an exciting adventure in the Middle East after two and a half seasons as a Blaugrana. Unai joined Camp Nou in 2022 after progressing from Girona’s youth academy, becoming part of the U19A team, where he played 28 league matches and netted 10 goals. He also participated in six UEFA Youth League games, scoring twice, and made two appearances in the U19 Copa del Rey. In January 2023, he debuted for Barca Atletic, contributing to a 1-0 victory against Calahorra.
The following season, Hernandez became a member of Barca Atletic and played 38 games under Rafa Marquez in the midfield and 10 goals on the left wing. In 2024/25, he was second captain alongside Aleix Garrido and made 20 appearances for the team, scoring nine goals and providing three assists.
📸| Contract Signing pic.twitter.com/ScbvrkBCEq
— Al-Ittihad Club (@ittihad_en) February 2, 2025
The contract is set for three years with an option for an additional two years and no buyback clause. The former technical secretary of Barcelona, now the sporting director at Al-Ittihad, was instrumental in finalizing this deal. Unai Hernandez has arrived in Jeddah to join the team led by Laurent Blanc. The squad also features star players, including N’Golo Kante, Karim Benzema, and Steven Bergwijn.
Hernandez’s message for Yamal
Although separated by distance, Unai has shown his support for his ex-Barcelona teammate, Lamine Yamal. In a touching video message, Unai reached out to Yamal, assuring him of his support with the words, “Don’t worry, Lamine, I’m with Los Tigres.”
مرحباً صديقي 🐅🤩
Hola, amigo #شتوية_العميد pic.twitter.com/BPIHGpifr7— نادي الاتحاد السعودي (@ittihad) February 2, 2025
This move clearly indicates a shift in Saudi clubs’ previous image of offering enormous contracts to ageing footballers nearing the end of their careers to nurturing young talent, and Hernandez is part of this exciting revolution.
Barcelona’s rising star Unai Hernandez seals a move to Al Ittihad. The 20-year-old midfielder, with nine goals this season, joins Benzema and Kante in the Saudi Pro League. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
