Al Hilal face a difficult defensive decision before the start of the new season after Kalidou Koulibaly came under growing criticism during pre-season. The Senegal international has looked far removed from the level that supporters of the Saudi club had come to expect since his arrival, creating a significant technical problem at a crucial stage of the preparations.
Koulibaly suffered a thigh injury during the final weeks of last season. He later returned to represent Senegal at the 2026 World Cup, but his performances since coming back have raised serious questions over both his physical condition and his effectiveness on the pitch.
The concern for Al Hilal is not simply that the defender’s form has declined. With the new campaign approaching, the club have very little time to make a decisive change. Releasing or moving on from Koulibaly and then finding a foreign centre-back of comparable quality would be extremely difficult during the remaining days of the transfer window.
The process of signing an established international defender would require time for negotiations, a medical examination and the player’s integration into the squad. Al Hilal cannot afford to wait for that process to unfold while competitive fixtures are drawing near.
The situation is also a significant challenge for manager Simone Inzaghi, who had expected Koulibaly’s experience to provide leadership at the heart of the defence. The defender’s current displays, however, mean Inzaghi must consider immediate alternatives, including reorganising the defensive structure or giving other players a greater role.
Al Hilal’s domestic options do not appear strong enough to take full responsibility for a season involving demanding domestic and continental competitions. As a result, Koulibaly’s continued struggles are becoming a genuine source of concern within the club.
The most realistic solution may be for Al Hilal to rely on Koulibaly gradually rediscovering his best form once the season begins. Replacing him has become more complicated than at any previous point, given the limited time available and the difficulty of securing a defender with similar international experience and quality.
That leaves the club facing a delicate balancing act. Inzaghi must decide whether Koulibaly can be trusted to recover quickly enough to anchor the defence, while also preparing a tactical plan that protects the team if his performances do not improve.
If the Senegalese defender fails to regain his sharpness soon, Al Hilal could enter the new campaign with one of their most serious defensive problems in recent years. The club’s immediate priority will be to find a way through the uncertainty without weakening a squad expected to compete on both the domestic and continental stages.
