Portuguese coach Sérgio Conceição, manager of the Al-Ittihad team, has requested the signing of a local goalkeeper during the upcoming winter transfer window, aiming to make the most of the eight foreign players allowed on the field.

Al-Ittihad's management tops the list of options for Al-Ula's goalkeeper, Mohammed Al-Owais, with the management showing a strong desire to sign him during the winter transfer window to strengthen the goalkeeper position.

However, the Al-Ula management has not received any official offer so far and remains committed to Al-Owais, who will enter the free agency period of his contract next January and is considered the cornerstone of the team's project to advance to the Roshn Saudi League.

Al-Owais is having a good season with Al-Ula, having participated in eight matches, conceding five goals, and keeping a clean sheet in four of them. Meanwhile, the team leads the Yelo League table with 20 points.

It is worth mentioning that Al-Owais transferred to Al-Ula last summer after his contract with Al-Hilal ended, with whom he won six titles. He previously played for Al-Shabab, Al-Ahli, and Al-Hilal, and has represented the Saudi national team in 58 matches since his first appearance against Japan in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers.

In the context of preparations, the federation's transfer committee is holding meetings to identify the team's winter needs in coordination with Conceição, focusing on strengthening the striker position with a foreign player born in 2004 or later, who possesses a high technical level and international experience.