Media figure Abdullah Flatah revealed unexpected details regarding the Brazilian Galinho's joining of Al-Ahli Saudi, confirming that he was not originally among the team's signings but was a primary target for the Union before his direction changed at the last moment.

Galinho joined Al-Ahli during the winter transfer window of 2025 from Porto, Portugal, with a contract extending until June 2027 for a fee of 50 million euros. However, according to Flatah, the Union was very close to signing the player, but negotiations suddenly changed, leading the player to settle at Al-Ahli, making it one of their most significant winter signings.

Flatah clarified that the Union had planned to bring Galinho into their squad, but ultimately chose to invest in young talents instead of making huge signings. He pointed out that success in contracts primarily depends on financial strength, citing Real Madrid's dominance in the transfer market as the richest club in the world.

Since his arrival, Galinho has shown impressive performance with Al-Ahli, participating in 5 matches and contributing to 3 goals, scoring one and providing two assists. He also played a crucial role in Al-Ahli's thrilling victory over Al-Hilal (3-2) in Round 23 of the Roshen League, elevating the team to fifth place with 47 points, equal with Al-Nassr.

Galinho's brilliance was not limited to the domestic league, as he also contributed to Al-Ahli's qualification for the Round of 16 in the AFC Champions League, where the team is preparing to face Al-Rayyan of Qatar in the first leg in Doha, before the return leg in Jeddah a week later, amid great hopes of continuing their continental journey.