Official! Richard Ríos joins Al Ittihad on loan, Benfica cashes in; | OneFootball

It’s official: Richard Ríos will temporarily leave Benfica and join Al Ittihad for the 2026/27 season. The Eagles and the Saudi club announced the deal for the loan of the 26-year-old Colombian international, which does not include any purchase option.

According to Record, Benfica will receive around €4 million from the midfielder’s loan, in a deal that also helps ease the financial burden on the club’s SAD. In addition to the loan fee, Al Ittihad will cover Richard Ríos’ full salary. The player will also earn a considerably higher wage in Saudi Arabia.

After some initial resistance, the Colombian international eventually gave the green light to the move and accepted the project presented by the Saudi side. Ríos views the departure from Luz positively, at a time when he was looking for a solution to regain prominence.

Losing ground in Marco Silva’s plans ended up being decisive in his departure. Richard Ríos has mostly been used as a substitute this season, a scenario that made the decision to seek new challenges easier. Signed from Palmeiras last summer for €27 million, the Colombian temporarily leaves Benfica after a first season of high-level performances.

Across 45 matches, Ríos scored eight goals and provided six assists, numbers that helped justify the Eagles’ major investment. Now, the midfielder moves to the Middle East on loan, while Benfica receive around €4 million and, for now, keep the player under contract beyond the 2026/27 season.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.