Al-Ittihad and Ramon Planes Part Ways as Mexico Emerges as a Possible Next Destination
Al-Ittihad have formally ended their relationship with Spanish football executive Ramon Planes, closing a turbulent chapter in the Saudi club’s sporting leadership. The separation follows months of change behind the scenes, including a reduction in Planes’ responsibilities and the appointment of a new sporting director.
According to Saudi newspaper Al-Riyadiah, the club and Planes reached a final financial settlement, with his outstanding contractual dues paid in full. The agreement brings the 58-year-old’s two-year-and-nine-month spell in Jeddah to an official conclusion. Reports have also linked him with a move to Mexico, although no new club or formal appointment has been confirmed.
A restructuring that began months ago
Planes’ departure is the latest step in a broader overhaul of Al-Ittihad’s sporting structure. At the beginning of June, the club removed him from the sporting director position and reassigned him as a sporting adviser. The change significantly narrowed his authority, while fellow Spaniard Frank Carbo was appointed to take charge as sporting director.
The transition had already been taking shape before it was publicly completed. Reports indicated that Planes’ executive powers had been frozen, leaving him with little influence over the club’s day-to-day football decisions. Al-Ittihad subsequently formalised its revised leadership arrangement, making the separation a matter of timing as much as direction.
For a club with major ambitions and a high-profile squad, clarity over recruitment, coaching appointments and long-term planning is essential. A sporting director typically coordinates those areas, connecting the first team’s immediate needs with the club’s broader strategy. Al-Ittihad’s decision to appoint Carbo to that role therefore signalled a clear shift in how the club intended to manage its football operations.
From a historic double to a difficult campaign
Planes arrived in Jeddah in January 2024 after working at Real Betis. He brought extensive experience from European football, including roles connected with Barcelona and Betis, and was tasked with overseeing key first-team sporting matters at Al-Ittihad.
His time at the club produced sharply contrasting results. In his first full season, Al-Ittihad achieved a historic domestic double, winning both the Saudi Roshn League and the King’s Cup. The success reinforced the belief that the club had assembled a winning structure and could compete consistently for major honours.
The following campaign, however, proved far less successful. Al-Ittihad finished fifth in the league, missing out on the title race, and suffered semi-final exits in both the King’s Cup and the Saudi Super Cup. The club’s Asian campaign also ended in disappointment, with elimination in the quarter-finals of the AFC Champions League Elite.
Those results created a difficult contrast with the previous season’s triumphs. In elite football, a single poor run can have several causes: changes in squad balance, injuries, coaching decisions, competition from rivals or difficulties turning individual talent into consistent team performances. The available reports do not identify one factor as solely responsible for Al-Ittihad’s decline, but the disappointing finish clearly increased pressure for change.
Why the separation matters for Al-Ittihad
Ending Planes’ contract gives Al-Ittihad an opportunity to establish a more defined chain of responsibility. After a season in which the team fell short across several competitions, the club’s leadership will be expected to show how its revised structure can produce better results. That may involve reviewing recruitment priorities, strengthening squad depth and ensuring that the sporting department, coaching staff and senior management share a consistent plan.
The challenge is not simply to sign prominent players. Successful squad building requires a balance between experience, tactical fit and the demands of a long season. League football rewards consistency, while knockout tournaments can turn on small details, making depth and preparation especially important. Al-Ittihad’s next decisions will therefore be closely watched by supporters seeking evidence that the restructuring can translate into improvement on the pitch.
Mexico speculation and what may come next
Mexico has been identified in reports as Planes’ possible next destination, but the claim remains unconfirmed. A move there would offer the experienced executive a fresh opportunity in a football market with an established professional league and clubs that regularly compete in regional tournaments. Until a club announces an appointment, however, the destination should be treated as speculation rather than a completed deal.
Planes’ European background and experience in Saudi Arabia could make him an appealing figure for teams looking to strengthen their recruitment or sporting operations. His next role, if confirmed, will also provide a new setting in which to apply the lessons of a spell that included both a major trophy-winning high and a difficult final season.
For Al-Ittihad, the immediate focus is different. The club must move beyond the leadership changes and demonstrate that its new structure can restore consistency. The upcoming fixtures, including the Saudi Pro League match listed for 21 October 2026, will offer an early measure of the team’s form, though one result alone will not settle the bigger questions about the club’s direction.
Any football prediction about Al-Ittihad’s next season should therefore be made cautiously. The team has shown that it can win major domestic honours, but its recent campaign highlighted how quickly momentum can fade. With Planes’ contract now closed and Carbo in the sporting director role, the next phase will depend on the quality of the club’s planning, the balance of its squad and its ability to turn ambition into reliable performances.
