Anis Hadj Moussa’s proposed move from Feyenoord to Al-Ittihad collapsed in the final hours of the transfer window after the Saudi club failed to provide the bank guarantee required by the Dutch side.
The deal had been valued at €40m, with the fee potentially rising to €42m with add-ons, after Feyenoord rejected several earlier offers before agreeing to negotiate. Hadj Moussa was expected to join Al-Ittihad on a contract that could have transformed his career financially.
However, the transfer never reached the stage of a medical or signed paperwork. With the necessary financial assurances still missing, the agreement fell apart shortly before the deadline.
The 24-year-old Algeria international has faced criticism for wanting to move to Saudi Arabia, with some suggesting the decision showed a lack of ambition or represented an early retreat from elite European football.
That judgement may be too simplistic. Mateo Retegui, the leading scorer in Serie A, left Atalanta for Al-Qadisiah at the age of 26. Other established internationals have also moved to the Saudi Pro League without seeing their careers come to an end.
Given the quality of the players, coaches and resources now available in Saudi Arabia, it would also be an oversimplification to claim that joining Al-Ittihad would automatically have represented a clear step backwards from the Eredivisie.
The more immediate concern for Feyenoord is Hadj Moussa’s state of mind. He wanted the move, while his omission against NEC Nijmegen officially attributed to two late arrivals added to the sense of tension surrounding the situation.
Hadj Moussa can understandably feel disappointed. He has played a role in Feyenoord’s strong domestic and continental performances, including a superb display at Etihad Stadium against Manchester City two years ago.
At the same time, Feyenoord had the right to protect its interests in a deal of such financial importance. In football, gratitude often ends where economic realities begin.
The failed transfer comes at a particularly difficult moment for Algeria. Following Riyad Mahrez’s retirement from international football, Hadj Moussa is expected to become one of the new attacking figures for the national team.
Newly appointed Algeria manager Brahim Hemdani will need an unburdened winger capable of taking defenders on and making a decisive contribution, rather than a player still distracted by a disrupted transfer.
The next international gathering could provide Hadj Moussa with an opportunity to move on. Rejoining the Algeria squad, taking on greater responsibility and receiving the support of the national-team fans may help him put the episode behind him.
There is also little time for him to dwell on what happened. Hadj Moussa remains at a competitive club and will return to Champions League action, with Feyenoord travelling to Barcelona on Wednesday.
An Algerian saying goes: “Fi koulli ta’khira khira” in every delay, there may be something good. Hadj Moussa must now turn the failed move into extra motivation, both for Feyenoord and with Algeria.
Naim Beneddra has followed football since childhood and has worked as a football journalist for more than 20 years. He writes and analyses the game, while maintaining a close focus on Algeria’s national team, the Fennecs.