Iraqi football talent and Al-Zawraa club player Haider Abdul Karim continues to attract the attention of foreign clubs, after the Saudi club Al-Ettifaq entered serious negotiations to sign him during the current winter transfer window, in preparation to include him in the team and participate in the Roshn Saudi League.

According to special sources, Al-Ettifaq's management opened negotiations with Al-Zawraa club and the player, with discussions having advanced significantly among all parties, amid a mutual desire to complete the deal. However, some financial details still hinder its official conclusion to this moment.

The sources clarified that Al-Ettifaq offered Haider Abdul Karim a contract lasting two and a half years, with an annual salary of $400,000, which received preliminary approval from the player, who aspires to experience playing professionally abroad.

On the other hand, Al-Zawraa club insists on receiving a higher financial compensation, seeking to increase the deal's value by about $250,000, which has temporarily stalled negotiations and put the deal at risk of not being completed.

Despite that, the door for the transfer has not been closed completely, as negotiations are expected to continue in the coming days, given Al-Ettifaq's desire to strengthen its squad with young talents, and the player's wish to go professional and join the Roshn League, following the example of his teammates Ali Jassem from Al-Najma and Ibrahim Baish from Al-Riyadh.

Meanwhile, Al-Zawraa coach Emad Al-Nahhas insists on keeping Abdul Karim due to his technical importance and clear impact on the team, but the management does not oppose the idea of professional transfer abroad if its financial demands are met, especially since the proceeds from the deal could be invested in signing an influential player to support the team in the upcoming phase.

Haider Abdul Karim, 21 years old, is considered one of the most prominent rising talents in Iraqi football. He has strongly attracted attention through his outstanding performances in the Iraqi league, in addition to his remarkable brilliance with the Olympic national team, especially in the recent Gulf Cup under-23 tournament held in Qatar, coinciding with the Arab Cup Qatar 2025.