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Roshn scouting: Al-Hilal’s ‘Galacticos’ tag rings hollow as reinforcements become essential.

The captain is staring at a tough assignment.

On paper, Al-Hilal seem to possess everything a team chasing trophies would ask for: internationally known names, star players packed with experience, and a squad with enough quality to decide any game. But football is not judged only by the number of stars in the dressing room. What matters is how well the roles fit together and how effectively the positions complement each other.

That is the contradiction confronting ‘the Leader’ before the new season begins. Al-Hilal have a collection of names that could tempt some to label them ‘the Galacticos’, yet the squad still has obvious deficiencies in certain areas. Other problems have already grown into full-blown issues, whether because of the difficulty in moving some players on or because suitable replacements have still not been secured.

With Simone Inzaghi’s demands on one side, the management’s wish to remodel the squad on another, and the challenge of finding takers for certain contracts, Al-Hilal are dealing with a transfer window that is about far more than simply bringing in another marquee player. It is about rebalancing a squad that needs practical solutions more than fresh headlines.

The right wing: the missing piece

The right-wing role looks like one of the most urgent areas requiring immediate action at Al-Hilal, especially with Brazilian winger Malcom being linked with a possible exit during the current window.

Malcom has the quality and experience required to handle that role. However, the uncertainty around his future leaves Al-Hilal facing the possibility of losing one of their key options on the right side, just as Inzaghi is seeking to bring in a new foreign winger capable of making a real impact.

That is where the concern lies. If Malcom departs and no suitable replacement comes in, the team would be left lacking in attacking depth. A side aiming to compete for titles cannot rely on only one player being able to cover such an important position.

Benzema: a problem Inzaghi does not want

The second issue centres on France striker Karim Benzema, who, according to the latest developments around the squad and the technical needs of the team, does not appear to enjoy Inzaghi’s complete support.

The complication is that Benzema himself has no intention of leaving, and that has placed Al-Hilal in a real bind. The coach has a different vision for the attacking line, while the player is determined to remain where he is.

His place in the squad is not a problem because of his reputation or his level. The problem is that keeping him means retaining a foreign player in a role where Al-Hilal need to reorganise their allocation, especially with an even more complicated issue hanging over them in the form of Darwin Nunez.

Nunez: a contract that has turned into a burden

Al-Hilal’s move to sign Darwin Nunez stands as one of the club’s biggest risks, and it has not delivered. The Uruguay striker has not done enough to justify either the scale of the deal or the expectations that came with it.

It did not take long for Nunez to fall out of the club’s domestic calculations. Once seen as a much-anticipated attacking addition, he has now become a problem the management are eager to resolve, especially because he occupies a foreign-player slot that could be used to reinforce another part of the team.

So far, finding a way out of his contract has proved too difficult. Al-Hilal cannot properly rebuild the squad while he remains on the books, and with each passing week the issue only becomes more severe.

Centre-back: the danger that does not show in the pictures

If the attacking names are what feed Al-Hilal’s ‘Galacticos’ image, the defensive line paints a very different picture.

At centre-back, Al-Hilal clearly need reinforcements. Kalidou Koulibaly and Hassan Tambakti have both been hit by injuries, and there are ongoing doubts over whether either player will be fully ready by the start of the season.

One more setback could leave Inzaghi with very limited options, and that would come in a season in which Al-Hilal are expected to challenge for honours on multiple fronts. Bringing in a new centre-back therefore looks not like an added extra, but an essential move to preserve balance in defence.