Simone Inzaghi is reportedly on the verge of leaving his coaching position at Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal after only one season. This comes despite him signing a lucrative two-year contract worth €26 million per season last summer.
Sources within Saudi Arabia suggest that Inzaghi’s departure is all but confirmed and will likely be finalized after Al-Hilal’s final Saudi Pro League match. The decision is believed to be influenced by a change in the club’s ownership and dissatisfaction with the performance of several high-profile summer signings, including Darwin Nunez, who did not meet expectations.
Inzaghi Returns to Managerial Market, Reflects on Inter Exit
This development places Inzaghi back in the European coaching market less than a year after his move to Saudi Arabia. The question now is whether he will aim for an immediate return to Italian football or explore opportunities elsewhere.
In recent statements, Inzaghi offered a candid perspective on his departure from Inter Milan last summer.
“Everything happened very quickly,” he stated. “Two days after the Monaco match, we met at Marotta’s house, with Ausilio and Baccin present. In that meeting, I expressed the need for a change, as I felt a cycle had come to an end. They would have preferred to continue with me, but they understood my decision. We parted on good terms, and we still are. However, if we had won the Champions League, I would have stayed at Inter.”
Inzaghi also revealed that he had previously turned down offers from other clubs. “On other occasions, there had been inquiries, and I had never accepted them,” he said.
Simone Inzaghi Set to Leave Al-Hilal After Just One Season
Simone Inzaghi is poised to depart Al-Hilal after a single season in Saudi Arabia, despite securing a two-year contract worth €26 million per season last summer.
The Italian coach’s exit appears imminent, with reports from Saudi Arabia, as relayed by TuttoMercatoWeb, indicating that his departure is all but confirmed once Al-Hilal concludes its final Saudi Pro League fixture.
A change in ownership at the club is understood to have played a role in this decision, alongside scrutiny over several expensive summer acquisitions that failed to deliver the anticipated results, most notably Darwin Nunez.
The development brings Inzaghi back into the European coaching pool after less than a year away, and the prevailing question is whether he will seek an immediate return to Italian football or look for opportunities abroad.
In recent comments, Inzaghi provided an honest account of his departure from Inter last summer.
“The truth is that everything happened very quickly,” he stated. “Two days after Monaco, we met at Marotta’s house, with Ausilio and Baccin present. In that context, I expressed the need for a change because I felt a cycle had come to an end. They would have liked to continue with me, but they understood the choice. We parted as friends, and we still are. But if we had won the Champions League, I would have stayed at Inter.”
Inzaghi also acknowledged that he had previously rejected approaches from other clubs. “Even in other situations, there had been requests, and I had never accepted them,” he said.