Following a summer of significant squad reconstruction that saw six foreign players depart and a new coaching regime installed, Al Taawoun enters 2026/27 balancing domestic ambitions with a first-ever AFC Champions League Two campaign, tasked with preserving the stability that has made the club a consistent presence in the Saudi Pro League’s upper reaches.
Technical Leadership & Coaching Profile
Manager: Žarko Lazetić
Lazetić was appointed as Al Taawoun’s head coach ahead of the 2026/27 campaign, taking charge of a squad undergoing substantial transition. The Serbian coach inherits a group that has retained its core leadership but lost significant depth in the attacking department, and he faces the immediate challenge of integrating new signings while preparing for a demanding fixture list spanning three competitions.
Tactical Philosophy
Lazetić’s approach is expected to prioritise defensive organisation and collective discipline, building on the foundation established by the club’s retained leadership group. The opening rounds have revealed a team still finding its rhythm, with Al Taawoun registering one win from their opening fixtures while conceding five goals. The squad’s reliance on captain Aschraf El Mahdioui for midfield control and Abderrazak Hamdallah for goals reflects the importance of the experienced core within Lazetić’s structure.
Preferred Formations
4-2-3-1 / 4-3-3 in possession.
Strategic Transfer Activity
Al Taawoun’s summer window was defined by a decisive clear-out of foreign talent and a targeted reinvestment strategy. The club decided not to renew the contracts of six foreign players: Brazilian duo Flávio Silva and Andrei Girotto, French midfielder Angelo Fulgini, Colombian forward Roger Martinez, Gambian striker Musa Barrow, and Ecuadorian Christopher Zambrano.
The retained foreign core — goalkeeper Mailson, captain El Mahdioui, and winger Marin Petkov — provides continuity, with Mailson and Petkov contracted until 2028 and El Mahdioui offered an extension. The club’s recruitment focused on younger, high-potential additions, headlined by Moroccan forward Younes El Bahraoui from Kawkab Marrakech for €1 million on a three-year deal.
Table A: Summer Major Transfer Influx
| Player | Position | Former Club | Fee Paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parfait Guiagon | Midfielder | Sporting Charleroi | €4.3M |
| Oscar Dorley | Midfielder | Slavia Praha | €2.0M |
| Younes El Bahraoui | Forward | Kawkab Marrakech | €1.0M |
| Nedim Bajrami | Midfielder | — | Permanent |
| Mustapha Samb | — | US Monastir | Free |
| Jair Collahuazo | — | Kudrivka | Loan |
The First-Team Roster
Goalkeepers
Mailson (#1): The Brazilian goalkeeper remains Al Taawoun’s undisputed number one and one of the three foreign pillars retained from last season. Standing 1.96m, his commanding presence and shot-stopping ability have been central to the club’s defensive stability, and his contract until 2028 secures his future.
Abdul Al Ghamdi: The Saudi goalkeeper provides backup coverage, having returned from a loan spell at Al Arabi.
Defenders
Muteb Al Mufarrij (#—): The 30-year-old Saudi centre-back has been an ever-present in the opening rounds, completing 540 minutes across six matches. His experience and positioning anchor Lazetić’s defensive structure.
Zineddine Belaïd (#—): The 27-year-old Algerian centre-back has established himself as a first-team regular, his physicality and aerial dominance providing the defensive steel required in the Saudi Pro League.
Bassam Al Hurayji (#—): The 26-year-old defender has contributed a goal in the opening fixtures, his attacking threat from set-pieces adding an extra dimension. He has also been managing an injury concern in recent weeks.
Marin Petkov (#—): The Bulgarian winger operates in a wing-back role under Lazetić, his versatility and technical quality making him a key figure. Contracted until 2028, he has provided one assist in the opening rounds.
Renne Rivas (#—): The Venezuelan left-back returned from a loan spell at Ittihad Kalba, with club officials having delayed a decision on his future to allow the coaching staff to assess him during pre-season.
Saif Rajab (#—): The young defender has featured in the opening fixtures, his development being closely monitored within the first-team squad.
Awn Al-Saluli (#—): The Saudi defender provides additional depth across the back line.
Turki Al-Jaadi (#—): The left-back provides competition and cover on the flank.
Mishal Al-Alaeli (#—): The young defender returned from a loan spell, his progression representing part of the club’s commitment to internal development.
Midfielders
Aschraf El Mahdioui (#18): The captain and Dutch-Moroccan midfield leader is the heartbeat of Al Taawoun’s squad. His 540 minutes played in the opening rounds reflect his indispensability, and the club’s willingness to offer a contract extension despite his previous deal expiring demonstrates his importance.
Nedim Bajrami (#10): The Albanian international brings creativity and technical quality from advanced midfield positions, his vision and passing range offering a goal threat from deep areas. He has been a regular starter in the opening fixtures.
Oscar Dorley (#—): The Liberian midfielder joined from Slavia Praha for €2 million, bringing European experience and tactical discipline to the engine room. His assist for Rakan Al Tulayhi’s goal against Al Nahda demonstrated his value in the attacking phase.
Parfait Guiagon (#—): The summer arrival from Sporting Charleroi for €4.3 million represents the club’s most significant investment. The 25-year-old midfielder has been integrated into the starting line-up, his energy and technical quality adding dynamism to the midfield.
Mohammed Al-Kwikbi (#—): The 31-year-old Saudi midfielder provides experience and reliability, his 322 minutes in the opening rounds making him a trusted option in Lazetić’s rotation.
Rakan Al Tulayhi (#23): The 23-year-old midfielder scored Al Taawoun’s first goal of the AFC Champions League Two campaign against Al Nahda, his composure in front of goal demonstrating his development. He represents the club’s commitment to nurturing Saudi talent.
Younes El Bahraoui (#—): The 21-year-old Moroccan midfielder joined from Kawkab Marrakech on a three-year deal. A 2025 Under-20 World Cup winner with Morocco, he has been integrated gradually, providing one assist in the opening rounds.
Abdulrahman Hindi (#—): The midfielder has featured in the opening fixtures, his energy and commitment making him a reliable squad option.
Mohammed Al Saedi (#45): The young midfielder represents the club’s commitment to developing domestic talent.
Fahad Al Rashidi (#—): The 29-year-old midfielder provides additional depth in the engine room.
Forwards
Abderrazak Hamdallah (#—): The 35-year-old Moroccan striker remains Al Taawoun’s primary attacking focal point and one of the most prolific goalscorers in Saudi Pro League history. His two goals in the opening rounds demonstrate his enduring quality, and his 431 minutes played reflect his importance to Lazetić’s plans.
Younes El Bahraoui (#—): The young Moroccan forward provides a different profile to Hamdallah, his pace and movement offering a dynamic alternative in the attacking line.
Leadership Group & Squad Regulations
Club Captain: Aschraf El Mahdioui
The Dutch-Moroccan midfielder remains the unequivocal leader of the squad, his voice and standards-setting influence anchoring a dressing room that has undergone significant turnover. His centrality to the team’s structure is reflected in his 540 minutes played in the opening rounds and the club’s determination to extend his contract.
The Leadership Committee
Mailson and Marin Petkov serve as the senior voices alongside El Mahdioui, their combined experience providing essential guidance through a demanding campaign spanning domestic and continental commitments. The retention of these three foreign players was explicitly designed to preserve continuity amid the broader squad reconstruction.
Homegrown Quota Check
With Muteb Al Mufarrij, Bassam Al Hurayji, Mohammed Al-Kwikbi, and several other Saudi nationals in the first-team squad, Al Taawoun maintains a strong commitment to developing domestic talent. The promotion of young players like Rakan Al Tulayhi and Mohammed Al Saedi reflects the club’s long-term strategy of integrating academy graduates into the senior setup.
Financial & Contractual Health
Financial Balance Overview
Al Taawoun’s transfer activity reflects a prudent approach to squad construction, with the club investing in younger players on modest fees while clearing high-earning foreign players from the wage bill. The €4.3 million spent on Parfait Guiagon represents the most significant outlay, while the free transfers of Mustapha Samb and the loan arrival of Jair Collahuazo demonstrate the club’s ability to identify value in the market.
Contract Red Alerts
The club’s proactive approach to securing key assets is evident in the long-term contracts awarded to Mailson and Petkov (2028) and El Bahraoui (2029). The pending extension for captain El Mahdioui remains a priority, with his current deal having expired in June before negotiations for a renewal.
The Academy Pipeline & Loan Tracker
Breakout Talents to Watch
Younes El Bahraoui represents the most exciting young addition, the 21-year-old Moroccan arriving with an Under-20 World Cup winner’s medal and a three-year contract. His development under Lazetić’s guidance will be closely monitored as he adapts to the demands of Saudi Pro League football.
Notable Out on Loan
Abdul Al Ghamdi has returned from his loan spell at Al Arabi, while several other young players continue to gain experience in lower divisions.
Set-Piece Specialists & FPL Cheat Sheet
Penalties: Abderrazak Hamdallah (First Choice) / Nedim Bajrami (Second Choice).
Direct Free-Kicks: Nedim Bajrami / Aschraf El Mahdioui.
Corners & Crosses: Nedim Bajrami / Marin Petkov.
Final Outlook: Stability Amid Transition
Al Taawoun enter 2026/27 navigating a delicate balance between continuity and renewal. The club’s decision to retain Mailson, El Mahdioui, and Petkov while clearing six other foreign players represents a calculated gamble on the core’s ability to provide a foundation for the new arrivals to build upon.
The early-season returns have been mixed. The 1-1 draw against Al Nahda in the AFC Champions League Two opener demonstrated both the squad’s potential and its limitations, with Rakan Al Tulayhi’s composed finish cancelled out by a late set-piece concession. Domestically, the club has registered one victory from its opening fixtures, conceding five goals in the process.
The challenge ahead is significant. Competing across the Saudi Pro League, King’s Cup, and AFC Champions League Two will test the depth of a squad that has lost six experienced foreign players. Hamdallah’s goalscoring remains the club’s most reliable weapon, and El Mahdioui’s leadership provides stability, but the margin for error is narrow.
If Lazetić can integrate the new signings quickly and maintain the defensive organisation that has defined Al Taawoun’s recent seasons, the club possesses the foundation to achieve a respectable mid-table finish and progress in continental competition. But the transition period may produce inconsistent results, and the club’s ambitions must be tempered by the reality of a squad still finding its identity.
