Gerrard leaves Al-Ettifaq after 18 months in Saudi Arabia

Gerrard leaves Al-Ettifaq after 18 months in Saudi Arabia

Steven Gerrard has left Al-Ettifaq by mutual consent after a disappointing 18-month spell with the Saudi Arabian membership.

Former Liverpool and England midfielder Gerrard leaves with the Dammam-based membership twelfth within the 18-team league, simply 5 factors exterior the relegation zone.

Al-Ettifaq have received simply two of their final 14 Professional League video games with followers’ frustrations at their slide down the desk changing into extra intense in current weeks.

“Soccer is unpredictable and typically issues don’t go the best way we wish,” stated Gerrard.

“Nevertheless, I depart with nice respect for the membership and the nation. I’ve little question that the work being accomplished will carry success sooner or later and I want the group the easiest for the remainder of the season.”

Ettifaq membership president, Identical Al Misehal stated: “Generally issues don’t go as deliberate, however the agency foundations he helped construct will assure a brilliant future in the long run.

“He modified the membership for the higher and that may by no means be forgotten. This resolution, made with mutual respect an in settlement is in the perfect curiosity of each Steven and the membership as we transfer ahead.”

📄| #Ettifaq and #Gerrard have reached a mutual settlement pic.twitter.com/axVtgqTWbl

— Ettifaq Membership (@Ettifaq_EN) January 30, 2025

Gerrard guided the membership to a sixth-placed end in his solely full season in cost and was rewarded with a two-year contract extension in January 2024 price a reported £300,000 every week.

Nevertheless, cracks began to look firstly of this season together with his assistant Dean Holden and sporting director Mark Allen each sacked.

Hypothesis has already began suggesting Gerrard is in line to return to Rangers, with whom he received the 2020-21 Scottish Premiership and denied Celtic a tenth successive league title.

He subsequently joined Aston Villa however was sacked after 11 months following a poor begin to the 2022-23 marketing campaign.