I’ll start by saying this straight away: yes, Al Hilal needed a new left winger, and I’ll explain why. Summerville is Al Hilal’s latest signing, according to David Ornstein, for €80 million. Is it expensive? Obviously, because it was always going to be. We’re talking about a 24-year-old player who was wanted by some of the biggest clubs in football. He was relegated with West Ham United, and it was obvious he was going to leave.
As for Al Hilal, their current left winger is Salem Al-Dawsari, but he appears to be close to leaving. Even if he stays, despite being both a club legend and a national icon, he is unlikely to remain an automatic starter. Summerville can also play on the right or through the middle. He is a versatile player and has everything it takes to succeed and shine in the Saudi Pro League.
Summerville will help Al Hilal enormously as they look to regain control of both Saudi Arabian football and Asian football.
So here’s my question: who would you rather have, Coman, who was used as a right winger by Jorge Jesus but, with Jesus now gone, I’m not sure where he’ll play, or Summerville? Can Al Hilal create even more danger with this signing than they could with Coman, João Félix and Sadio Mané? I genuinely think it’s an interesting debate, but I still prefer Coman.
Conclusão
€80 million is expensive, obviously, but this is how Al Hilal operate: they spend money. When they want a player, they put whatever is necessary on the table, and that’s exactly why they continue to sit at the very top of Asian football. A brilliant, brilliant signing.