Al Ittihad, seeking a midfielder who can operate as a 6 or an 8 to replace Fabinho, has shown interest in 26-year-old Leandro Barreiro. The club's coach, Jens Wissing, who was formerly an assistant at Benfica, has a strong interest in the player. The Saudi club contacted Benfica to ask about the availability and potential price for the Luxembourg international, who arrived in 2024 as a free agent from German club Mainz. Barreiro is valued at €18 million, and Benfica's requested fee was a similar amount. Al Ittihad decided they could not meet the asking price and are now exploring other options, though they might resume talks with Benfica depending on the outcome of those negotiations. Barreiro, who has 73 caps and 2 goals for Luxembourg, has a contract with the Portuguese club until 2029.