Stefan Cleary Joins Beveren on Loan from Al-Ittihad

Al-Ittihad have opened the door for Stefan Cleary to step out and grow.

On Tuesday evening, "The Dean" confirmed that the young talent will join Belgian side Beveren on loan until the end of the current season, a move designed to give him the one thing he cannot be guaranteed in Jeddah right now: regular minutes.

The club announced the deal through their official X account, confirming they had approved Beveren’s request to take Cleary on a temporary basis. He leaves "The Tigers" for now, trading the heat of the Saudi Pro League for a new test on Belgian pitches.

This is not a goodbye. It is a calculated detour.

Al-Ittihad want Cleary playing, not waiting. With fierce competition for places and new signings tightening the battle for starting spots, the club hierarchy see a loan as the best way to accelerate his development rather than let him drift on the fringes.

The plan is simple: Cleary stays with Beveren until the end of the campaign, then returns to Al-Ittihad once the season closes, unless fresh decisions are made about his future in the coming months.

Before he left, the management made their stance clear, sending him off with a message of support and encouragement. They want him back from Belgium sharper, stronger, and more experienced.

His departure is part of a broader strategy. Al-Ittihad are reshaping their squad, blending arrivals with carefully chosen exits, and using loans to toughen up their young players abroad while the fight for places at home intensifies.

For now, Stefan Cleary’s story with Al-Ittihad pauses. The next pages will be written in Beveren, where game time, form and growth await – and where he has the chance to prove he is ready to return to Jeddah as more than just a promising name.