Al-Ittihad Secures Loan Deal with Girona for Unai Hernandez

Al-Ittihad have moved another piece in their summer rebuild, agreeing a loan deal with Girona for Spanish midfielder Unai Hernandez, one of the “Doyen’s” recruits in Jeddah.

According to Saudi newspaper Al-Riyadiah, the two clubs have settled on a season-long loan, with Girona securing an option to buy at the end of the spell. The Spanish side will pay only a limited portion of the player’s salary, with Al-Ittihad still shouldering the bulk of his wages as part of the agreement.

It marks a quick change of course for Hernandez. He only arrived at Al-Ittihad from Barcelona in February 2025 on a three-year contract, viewed then as a technical, long-term midfield project. He made 10 appearances for the Black and Yellow, scoring once and providing three assists, before his opportunities suddenly evaporated.

His last significant outing for the club came in the Saudi Super Cup semi-final against Al-Nassr, where he featured but could not force his way into the picture on a regular basis afterwards. The second half of the season sent him to Al-Shabab on loan, where he played 31 matches. The volume of minutes improved; the output did not. He finished that stint without a goal and with just one assist.

Now comes a different kind of test. Girona, with a clear playing identity and a reputation for polishing young talent, offer Hernandez a route back into a more prominent European spotlight. For Al-Ittihad, it is another decisive step in trimming and reshaping a squad that has been under intense scrutiny ahead of the new campaign.