Dionís prepares Saudi Arabia's squad for the Doha camp: so what is the situation with Musab Al-Juwayr and Salem Al-Dawsari?
Saudi Arabia begin preparations for the Asian Cup
Greek coach Georgios Donis is closing in on his squad for Saudi Arabia's next camp, with the list set to be announced over the coming week. The gathering will take place in the Qatari capital Doha, the opening phase of preparations for the 2027 Asian Cup.
Timed to coincide with the international break from 9 to 17 November, the camp features two friendly tests. Saudi Arabia face South Korea on 13 November before meeting Uzbekistan on the 17th, giving the coaching staff a chance to assess the players and ready the group for the continental challenge.
Donis is expected to lean heavily on the players from the most recent gathering, which ended with Saudi Arabia crowned Gulf Cup champions. He could still make changes depending on fitness, form and disciplinary considerations that may affect some selections, according to the Saudi newspaper "Asharq Al-Awsat".
Al-Juwair and Al-Dawsari close to a return
Mosaab Al-Juwair stands out among the names strongly in contention for the new squad. He missed the previous camp for disciplinary reasons but turned up in the Gulf Cup celebrations, and that opens the door to a return to the Greek coach's plans.
Captain Salem Al-Dawsari is another getting special attention. He has recovered from the injury picked up at the end of Saudi Arabia's run at the 2026 World Cup finals, and his chances of a recall look alive, pending the coaching staff's final call on his fitness.
Hammam Al-Hammami, by contrast, is still battling to make the camp after suffering a hamstring injury in the Gulf Cup final. He remains in rehabilitation. Goalkeeper Nawaf Al-Aqidi is also sidelined through injury, forcing Donis to rethink his options between the posts.
Injuries threaten the participation of a Saudi trio
Sources from Asharq Al-Awsat say the medical staff are monitoring the fitness of Nawaf Al-Aqidi, Alaa Al Haji and Hammam Al-Hammami on an almost daily basis. They keep the coaching staff updated on each treatment programme and on how close the players are to returning to training and featuring at the camp.
Hoping to recover at least one of the trio, Donis knows how much they matter to his plans. The injuries may yet force further changes to his line-up before he completes the preparation programme for the 2027 Asian Cup.
In midfield, the staff are weighing up options to cover for Alaa Al Haji, who was hurt during the Gulf Cup and is still working through his rehabilitation. His situation is one that needs settling before the final squad is announced.
Between the posts, Abdulrahman Al-Sanbi stands out as one of the options to fill the gap left by Al-Aqidi. He joined the preparatory camp in the United States and trained with the national team during the 2026 World Cup, despite missing out on the final squad for the tournament.
A new alternative to compensate for Kadesh's absence
At the back, Donis is set to make a change to cover the loss of Hassan Kadesh, whose injury will keep him out for a long spell. Ali Lajami is among the front-runners to step in, not least because he featured in Saudi Arabia's 2026 World Cup squad.
Keen to blood young talent and bring down the team's average age, the staff could hand a call-up to Al-Fateh defender Abdulaziz Al-Suwailem. He caught the eye last season and made the shortlist for best promising player in the Saudi league.
Saud Abdulhamid, who plays for France's Lens, is another possibility. He missed the most recent gathering through injury but has returned to regular minutes for his club this month, boosting his chances of a recall.
30 players in the awaited Saudi Arabia squad
The final shape of the squad remains unsettled, both in terms of the names Donis will pick and the total he will take to Doha. The expectation is that he could expand the list to 30 players.
That is four more than the last camp, a move that gives the staff extra room to try out the available talent and gauge their physical and technical readiness, especially with so many injuries and several absentees pushing for a return.
Donis wants to use the friendlies against South Korea and Uzbekistan to test his options and measure how ready his players are before the next phases of preparation, all in a bid to build a group capable of competing at the 2027 Asian Cup.
