Stefan Cleary Joins Beveren on Loan from Al-Ittihad

Al-Ittihad have opened the door for Stefan Cleary to step into Europe, confirming on Tuesday night that the young attacker will join Belgian side Beveren on loan until the end of the season.

The move, announced through the club’s official X account, sends Cleary out of “The Tigers” camp and into a new test on Belgian soil, with Al-Ittihad making it clear this is about opportunity, not exile.

They want him playing. Every week.

With fierce competition for places and a squad being reshaped on the fly, Cleary’s path to regular minutes in Jeddah had narrowed. A switch to Beveren offers what Al-Ittihad cannot currently guarantee: consistent game time, room to grow, and the pressure of proving himself in a new league.

The plan is straightforward. Cleary will stay with Beveren until the campaign closes, then return to Al-Ittihad unless fresh developments alter that roadmap in the coming months. The loan fits neatly into a broader strategy: new faces arriving, others sent abroad to sharpen their edges, all under the weight of expectations on a club chasing success on multiple fronts.

Before he left, the Al-Ittihad hierarchy sent him off with a message of support, wishing him success and making no secret of what they want back: a more complete, more experienced player shaped by Belgian football.

So Cleary moves out, but not away. He heads to Beveren with the blessing of “The Dean,” carrying the hope that a season of hard minutes in Europe will turn potential into something far more concrete.