Al-Ittihad have announced the signing of Senegal midfielder Dion Lopy from Almeria on a three-year contract running until 2029.
The Saudi club confirmed the move in a video published on its official account on X, making Lopy their first new foreign signing of the current summer transfer window.
Al-Ittihad did not disclose the financial terms of the agreement. However, previous reports said the club would pay Almeria €13m in instalments, with the Spanish side also entitled to 10% of any future transfer fee received for the player.
Lopy, 24, is expected to replace Brazilian midfielder Fabinho, whose contract expired at the end of last season and who subsequently left the club.
The Senegal international mainly operates as a defensive midfielder, but can also play in a deeper central midfield role. His versatility is expected to increase Al-Ittihad’s options in the middle of the pitch as they prepare for the new campaign.
The move represents the club’s first newly completed signing from overseas this summer. Al-Ittihad had previously made permanent the transfer of Cameroon defender Stephen Keller, who had been on loan from Cypriot club Limassol, by activating the purchase option in his agreement.
Lopy joined Almeria in 2023 after moving from French club Stade de Reims. He has since made 105 appearances for the Spanish side, scoring four goals and providing six assists.
At international level, Lopy has represented Senegal since 2023. He has won five caps, but has yet to score or assist for his country. He was not included in Senegal’s squads for either the Africa Cup of Nations or the World Cup during the current year.
Al-Ittihad’s decision to bring in Lopy comes after the departure of Fabinho, who had been an important presence in midfield during his time at the club. The arrival of the Senegalese player gives the Saudi side a specialist option in the defensive midfield position while also providing additional flexibility in central areas.
The club’s announcement did not include further details about the payment schedule or the future-sale arrangement reported by the media. Lopy’s contract, however, is set to keep him at Al-Ittihad until 2029, subject to the terms of the three-year agreement announced by the Saudi club.
His move from Almeria ends a spell in Spain that began in 2023 and marks the next stage of a career that has included senior international football with Senegal.
