Sources confirmed to "Asharq Al-Awsat" that Neom Club is determined to retrieve its French star Simon Bouabri to participate in the upcoming match against Al-Qadisiyah in the fifth round of the Roshen Saudi League, despite his national team continuing to compete in the ongoing Youth World Cup in Chile.

Bouabri has stood out significantly during the tournament, leading the French team to the semifinals by scoring two goals against Norway, earning him the title of Man of the Match, further confirming his improvement in technical and physical performance as the knockout stages progressed.

The player had joined his national team during the international break, without participating in the group stage, before starting his real journey against Japan in the Round of 16 and then Norway in the quarterfinals, where he captured attention with his skills and decisive passes.

Sources indicate that the French Football Federation is working hard to convince Neom's management to extend the player's stay until the end of the tournament, especially with the upcoming match against Morocco in the semifinals next Wednesday, considering his presence a key component in the lineup.

However, Neom's management, according to leaks, refuses to grant any new exceptions, insisting on the previously agreed contract with the French federation, which stipulates that Bouabri can only participate during the international break and must return to Saudi Arabia on October 16 to compete in local league matches.

The French team management is working on providing flexible solutions that would allow a temporary exception for Bouabri to complete his international participation, while Neom's management sees the player as a vital element in midfield, especially with the team preparing for the upcoming matches against Al-Qadisiyah and Al-Khaleej.

Sources confirm that the final decision regarding Bouabri's fate will be made within the next 48 hours, balancing France's desire to keep him for the remainder of the tournament against Neom's insistence on quickly regaining him to bolster their squad for local competitions.