Was it a deliberate provocation of Al-Hilal? Al-Shabab announces the signing of Al-Bulayhi in a striking manner

The Saudi defender leaves "the Leader" after 9 years

Al-Shabab have signed Saudi international defender Ali Al-Bulaihi, and they did it in a manner some read as a deliberate dig at their neighbours and rivals, Al-Hilal.

The club confirmed the one-season deal in a statement on their official "X" account.

What caught the eye was not the statement, but the caption alongside it. Al-Shabab described their new man as "Ali Al-Bulaihi at the biggest club of the capital", borrowing the very phrase Al-Hilal fans use for their own team.

The 36-year-old arrives on a free transfer, hours after Al-Hilal announced a financial settlement with him in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

This marks a return for Al-Bulaihi, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Al-Shabab from Al-Hilal.

He departs Al-Hilal after nine years, having joined from Al-Fateh in the summer of 2017.

Across his time at the club, Al-Bulaihi made 263 appearances in all competitions and scored 23 goals. He helped Al-Hilal to 14 trophies, most notably five Saudi League titles and two AFC Champions League crowns.