Laurent Blanc has been appointed as the new head coach of Al Ittihad, taking over from Marcelo Gallardo, as announced by the Saudi Pro League (SPL) club over the weekend. The SPL club welcomed Blanc to Al-Ittihad in a social media post on Saturday.
Reports from local media suggest that Blanc, the Frenchman, has signed a two-season contract with the Jeddah-based club, with the possibility of extending for a third season. Blanc, who last managed Lyon until September 2023, recently visited Al Ittihad's preseason training camp in Spain to meet his new squad.
The 58-year-old coach steps into the role following the dismissal of Gallardo earlier this month. Al Ittihad, a team that boasts players like Karim Benzema and N'Golo Kanté, finished in fifth place in the previous season, trailing champions Al Hilal by 42 points.