It's truly frightening. Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal has also brought in Theo Hernandez (28). Theo, who is at the peak of his career, has left Europe for the Middle East.
Al Hilal officially announced on the 11th (Korea time) through the club's website that "the club board led by President Fahad bin Saad bin Nafel has completed the signing of a contract to bring in French player Theo from AC Milan, with a contract period of 3 years until the end of the 2027-2028 season."
Al Hilal introduced, "The 27-year-old Theo is one of the most famous players in Europe, having played for various clubs. Notably, he won the Club World Cup, UEFA Super Cup, 2017 Spanish Super Cup, and 2018 UEFA Champions League while playing for Spain's Real Madrid. He also lifted the Serie A trophy in 2022 and the Italian Super Cup in early 2025 while with AC Milan."
Theo has also been a regular starter for the French national team. Al Hilal added, "Theo has built up international experience representing France at the U-18, U-19, and U-20 levels. He has been playing with the French senior national team since 2021 and won the 2021 UEFA Nations League. His last appearance for the national team was last month in the UEFA Nations League."
Until recently, Theo was recognized as a world-class defender. He is the brother of Luka Hernandez (Paris Saint-Germain) and grew up in the Atletico Madrid youth team, proving his potential through a loan to Deportivo Alaves. He emerged as a top-left back in La Liga from his debut season.
Then Real Madrid showed interest, and Theo changed his uniform in 2017. However, even after being on loan at Real Sociedad for a season, he couldn't solidify his position and chose to transfer again in the summer of 2019.
Theo's next destination was AC Milan, with a transfer fee of €20 million (approximately 32.1 billion won). Upon entering the Italian stage, Theo showcased his explosive speed and scoring ability. Over the past six seasons, he has recorded 262 appearances, 34 goals, and 45 assists. He has been selected for the Serie A Team of the Year four times.
However, last season was different. Theo was unable to display his skills due to excessive appearances and the team’s poor performance, and rumors of conflicts with the coaches emerged. Ultimately, Milan decided to sell Theo, who had one year remaining on his contract, this summer.
Contrary to expectations, there was little interest in Theo from Europe. He reportedly felt burdened by his high salary and the disappointing performance he showed last season.
With the backing of 'oil money,' Al Hilal snapped up Theo for a transfer fee of €25 million (approximately 40.1 billion won). According to French outlet L'Équipe and local Italian media, he is expected to receive over €20 million in salary, including bonus options. It is reported that Simone Inzaghi, who witnessed Theo's performance during his time at Inter Milan, strongly wanted him.
Al Hilal already boasts an incredible lineup, featuring players like Joao Cancelo, Kalidou Koulibaly, Yassine Bounou, Aleksandar Mitrovic, Ruben Neves, and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, rivaling top European clubs. With Theo included, Al Hilal is set to solidify its defense with the French national Theo and Portuguese national Cancelo on the flanks.
Last season, Al Hilal finished second in the Saudi Pro League, falling behind Al Ittihad and missing out on the championship. However, they demonstrated competitiveness on the global stage by advancing to the semifinals in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League Elite (ACLE) after defeating Gwangju FC 7-0.
In particular, Al Hilal has recently caused a stir by taking down 'Premier League champions' Manchester City. In the group stage of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, which kicked off last month, Al Hilal drew with Real Madrid and surprised global soccer fans by defeating Manchester City in the tournament and advancing to the quarterfinals.
[Photo] ⓒGettyimages (No unauthorized reproduction or redistribution), Al Hilal social media.
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