George Ilenikhena, a 19-year-old Nigerian-French centre-forward from AS Monaco, has joined Al-Ittihad. The Saudi club confirmed the transfer on a Tuesday. Ilenikhena signed with Al-Ittihad on a Monday evening. Before this, he was first approached by Al-Hilal, another Saudi Premier League club where Karim Benzema signed. The player chose Al-Ittihad, and the transfer was worth €33 million, a figure that includes €3 million in bonuses. The sale occurred because Monaco was obligated to sell during the winter. This season, he scored two goals in 15 Ligue 1 appearances. His new contract is valid until June 30, 2029. VfB Stuttgart and LOSC Lille were among several other clubs recently linked with the player. A bid of €27 million from Stuttgart was reportedly rejected in the summer of 2025. In December 2025, Monaco's asking price was reportedly more than €20 million. According to Transfermarkt, his current market value is estimated at €12.00m.