The former Wolf meeting old pack in bid to boost Al Qadsiah title hunt

While there was drama and a rush of signings elsewhere in the Roshn Saudi League’s recent winter transfer window, Al Qadsiah adopted a more considered approach.

With high-profile switches and departures grabbing headlines, the Al Khobar stayed calm, bringing in only one player to boost what was fasting becoming a strong title charge.

That was, in a way, understandable. Al Qadsiah had not long before appointed Brendan Rodgers to replace outgoing manager Michel, meaning significant change was already under foot. However, having seen the form of Waleed Al Ahmed at Al Taawoun this season, they couldn’t help but make their move.

To be fair, it’s not just this season but his body of work across several seasons in Buraidah, which included playing a pivotal role in Al Taawoun finishing a brilliant fourth in 2023-24. Yet this campaign particularly, the Saudi Arabia centre-back has elevated his game to a whole new level.

Be it his defensive work, that still sees him rank third at Al Taawoun for clearances a month after departing, or his goalscoring threat, Al Ahmed has been getting the job done at both ends of the pitch.

With five goals this season, he is not only the highest-scoring defender in the 2025-26 RSL alongside Al Hilal debutant Theo Hernandez, but one of its most impactful.

For the first time in his career, Al Ahmed has produced goal involvements in consecutive RSL matches (one goal, one assist), while his six goal contributions in all exceed his total across his first four league seasons - combined (five).

Among defenders, only Al Ittihad’s Muhannad Al Shanqeeti has contributed more this term, with eight.

With Rodgers wanting to employ a back three at Al Qadsiah, in part helping maximise the attacking talents of their full- or wing-backs, Al Ahmed was a natural addition to join Real Madrid great Nacho and Saudi rising star Jehad Thikri in defence.

The former Liverpool and Celtic manager first experimented with a three in January, fluctuating between a three- and four-man backline. But, since Al Ahmed has arrived, Rodgers has utilised the trio again in Al Qadsiah’s past two fixtures. And to great effect.

In each game, they struck four goals, with Al Ahmed even getting on the scoresheet in their 4-2 victory at Al Okhdood.

Having made up ground on the league leaders since Rodgers arrived, Al Qadsiah are very much in the title race. In that quest, the acquisition of Al Ahmed in January could prove an incredibly shrewd piece of business.

Not only does it add steel to a team already boasting one of the strongest defensive records in the league - Al Qadsiah have conceded 21 goals this season, the division’s third best - it also frees up those on either flank to push further forward and offer a greater attacking threat.

Eight goals in two games illustrates the weapons Al Qadsiah possess as they eye what would be an historic RSL title for the club.

But Al Ahmed’s gaze goes beyond this season as well; such has been his form that he has forced his way into the national team’s calculations, with Herve Renard taking a liking to the 26-year-old.

After debuting for the Frenchman at the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup, Al Ahmed’s form for Al Taawoun in the early part of the season earned him a recall for last November’s friendlies against Cote d’Ivoire and Algeria. He was then selected again for December’s FIFA Arab Cup.

That tournament, however, concluded on a sour note: Al Ahmed was sent off in the dying minutes of the 1-0, semi-final defeat to Jordan.

Still, it took nothing away from his performances throughout his time in Qatar. For that, and with his amazing start at Al Qadsiah, Al Ahmed is squarely in the frame for a debut FIFA World Cup appearance later this year in North America. He could be key to Saudi Arabia's chances of emerging from a difficult group.

His focus, though, will be looking no further ahead than Saturday’s clash against Al Taawoun.

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It’ll be a strange feeling coming up against a collection of players that, only a matter of weeks ago, he was performing alongside. No doubt, a former side that Al Ahmed still cares deeply about.

That said, such is the competitive fire of a top-bracket footballer, that it will no doubt give the centre-back a little extra motivation to bring home the three points.

The East Coast encounter, like all of Al Qadsiah’s 11 remaining fixtures, shapes as must-win to keep the club in touch with those at the RSL summit. They sit fourth, six points off Al Ahli with a game in hand.

Given the tactical tweak Al Ahmed’s arrival at Al Qadsiah has facilitated, we could look back on his signing as a defining one in the outcome of this captivating title race.