Saudi Pro League side Al-Qadsiah are close to confirming the appointment of former Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers as their new head coach.
The 52-year-old Northern Irishman is understood to be travelling to Al-Khobar to complete talks after signalling his intention to take up the role.
Rodgers has been without a club since stepping down from his position at Celtic in October, a decision that caught the Scottish champions off guard.
At Al-Qadsiah, Rodgers will work under former Rangers chief executive James Bisgrove, who has been heavily involved in the recruitment process.
The club are moving swiftly to finalise the appointment following the dismissal of Michel Gonzalez on Sunday, with Al-Qadsiah currently sitting fifth in the Saudi Pro League.
The change in management was driven by the club’s ambitious ownership group, Aramco, and is seen as a long-term strategic move rather than a reaction based purely on results.
However, it follows consecutive defeats to Al-Ahli in both league action and the King Cup of Champions quarter-finals.
Rodgers quickly emerged as the leading candidate due to his experience and footballing philosophy, with the process described as both fast-moving and competitive.
While Rodgers was aware of interest from Saudi Arabia before leaving Celtic, Al-Qadsiah only made their formal approach once he became a free agent.
With the club set to move into a new stadium next year, Al-Qadsiah were eager to have a head coach in place ahead of the January transfer window. They are expected to target attacking reinforcements, with Mohamed Salah identified as a potential option should he become genuinely available.
No contact has yet been made with either Salah or Liverpool, but the situation is being closely monitored.
Al-Qadsiah already boast Italian forward Mateo Retegui and have used all eight of their any-age foreign player slots, meaning any January arrivals would require departures.
While changes this winter may be limited, Rodgers is expected to receive significant backing in the market in 2026.
Al-Qadsiah operate independently of central funding, giving Aramco full control over spending, and the club have clear ambitions to challenge the four PIF-backed sides, including Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr and reigning champions Al-Ittihad.
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