Steven Gerrard Appointed New Manager Of Al-Ettifaq In Saudi Arabia

Steven Gerrard has been hired as the new manager of Saudi Pro League club Al-Ettifaq. Gerrard will be the 1st Englishman ever to manage in the Saudi Pro League.

Steven Gerrard has been hired as the new manager of Saudi Pro League club Al-Ettifaq.

This will be the 43-year-old's third job in senior management following spells in charge of Rangers and Aston Villa.

Ettifaq announced Gerrard's arrival on Monday by tweeting: "Where legends are found. We're thrilled to announce Steven Gerrard is our new head coach".

The club did not reveal the length of Gerrard's contract.

Gerrard will be the first Englishman ever to manage in the Saudi Pro League.

SEE MORE: Steven Gerrard Speaks In Arabic As He Delivers Short Message To Ettifaq Fans

✍🏻 Khalid Al Dabal puts pen to paper as English legend, Steven Gerrard signs with the club.#GerrardEttifaqi pic.twitter.com/FXa0ngCIas

— Ettifaq Club (@Ettifaq_EN) July 3, 2023

Steven Gerrard pictured (right) alongside Al-Ettifaq chairman Khalid Al-Dabal after the former Liverpool captain joined the Saudi Pro League club as manager this week :: Twitter/@Ettifaq_EN

Gerrard takes over from Spaniard Antonio Cazorla, who had been in charge at Ettifaq in a caretaker capacity since former Mali manager Patrice Carteron departed the club by mutual consent in February.

Ettifaq finished last season in seventh place in the Saudi Pro League. They have not been national champions since 1987.

Gerrard is the latest big name to be recruited by a Saudi club this year, after the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, N'Golo Kante and Ruben Neves all moved to the Pro League as players.

But those aforementioned players have all joined clubs owned by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund.

Ettifaq are not owned by the PIF and have not yet signed any new players this summer.