Saudi Gazette report
DAMMAM — Scottish defender Jack Hendry and French striker Moussa Dembele have joined the Dammam-based Al-Ettifaq Club. The club formally announced its double signing of official contracts with the duo, and thus increasing the prospects of a much better performance in the new season of the Saudi Pro League.
They joined the training camp, managed by Englishman Stephen Gerrard, being taken place in Croatia, in preparation for the new Saudi Pro League season. The team, bolstered by the double entry, will kickstart its new season match by taking on Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr in August.
Dembele, 26, joined the club as a free agent following the expiry of his contract with Olympique Lyonnais. “Moussa Dembele, welcome to Al-Ettifaq,” the club said in a statement. He proved to be a sensation in the Scottish league after signing for Celtic in 2016, and had been instrumental in clinching a number of titles.
Dembele performed remarkably for the club for many seasons before the relationship between the two parties ended without Dembele specifying his new destination before signing with Al-Ettifaq.
Earlier on Wednesday, the club signed with Jack Hendry who switched over from the Belgian Club Brugge. Hendry was contracted with the club following a technical recommendation from the English manager Gerrard, who knows the levels of the 28-year-old player as he previously represented clubs in the English, Scottish and Belgian leagues.
Englishman Jordan Henderson, captain of the Liverpool team, who also joined his compatriot Gerrard in the ranks of Al-Ettifaq. Though the contract was signed officially on Wednesday, the formal announcement is yet to be made.