Reports have revealed that the future of player Mario Metai with Saudi club Al-Ittihad is in jeopardy, amidst possibilities of making changes to the list of foreign players for the next season.

Metai, who is 21 years old, is considered one of the key pillars of the team; however, his status as a naturalized player is linked to the retention of all eight foreign players without any modifications or replacements.

If the Al-Ittihad management decides to part ways with one of its foreign professionals, Metai may be forced to leave the team’s roster due to losing his classification as one of the naturalized players.

The Al-Ittihad management is facing a dilemma on how to maintain the team's balance, as it must take into account local federation laws and the number of players allowed to participate in the naturalized category.

It is expected that the management will conduct a thorough evaluation before making any decisions regarding the foreign player list, with the aim of preserving the technical harmony and ensuring the continuity of influential players like Metai.