Sports

Al-Ittihad Close to Signing German Coach Jens Wisgen

Al-Madina - Follow-up

Published: July 4, 2026 23:19 KSA

It appears that Al-Ittihad is on the verge of signing young German coach Jens Wisgen to take over the technical management of the first team for the upcoming season, replacing Portuguese coach Sérgio Conceição.

According to German and Japanese press reports, negotiations between Al-Ittihad and the current coach of Japanese club Gamba Osaka have reached advanced stages, with only a few minor administrative details remaining, most notably agreeing on the assistant coaching staff (Wisgen aspires to bring three German assistants). Who is Jens Wisgen?

Age: 38 years old (born January 2, 1988). He began his coaching career as head coach of the German club Gleichen Back (2014-2019), then worked as an assistant at Borussia Mönchengladbach II, Benfica, PSV Eindhoven, and most recently at Red Bull Salzburg. Notable achievement: He took over Gamba Osaka in January 2026 and led them to win the AFC Champions League 2 title in May 2026, after a historic victory over Al-Nassr in the final. Wisgen is one of the strong options on Al-Ittihad's management table, along with other names such as Romanian coach Razvan Lucescu. The club aspires to a two-season contract with an option to extend, as part of a long-term project. For its part, Gamba Osaka has not issued any official comment yet regarding the possibility of its coach's departure, who has achieved remarkable success in a short period with the Japanese team. This move comes after Al-Ittihad terminated its contract with Portuguese coach Sérgio Conceição, as part of a comprehensive performance evaluation over the past period. Wisgen is seen as a young and ambitious choice.

Al-Ittihad ClubGamba Osaka Japanese Club