Theo Hernandez has completed a move to Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal, ending his six-year spell in Italy with AC Milan.
The 27-year-old French international is ready to start a new chapter in Riyadh after agreeing a three-year deal following a reported €25 million switch.
Theo made 262 appearances for Milan which saw the dynamic left-back score 34 goals and provide 45 assists.
Often a polarising figure – with critics questioning his attitude while supporters point to his blistering pace and brilliance on the ball – there can be no doubting his ability.
At Al Hilal, Theo will play for a familiar face in former Inter Milan coach Simone Inzaghi who only moved to the kingdom in June, ahead of the club's involvement in the revamped Fifa Club World Cup.
The pair will be joining forces having been foes for the last few seasons, regularly going head-to-head in the Derby della Madonnina at the San Siro.
Theo made his intentions clear to Milan’s management at the end of June: after initially rejecting Al Hilal’s advances, he was now open to the move.
It brings an end to a memorable chapter at Milan – six seasons that saw the team win a Serie A title and a Supercoppa with Theo being named in the Serie A Team of the Year four seasons in a row.
He was instrumental in the club’s 2022 Scudetto triumph, a force of nature on the left whose surging runs and telepathic understanding with Rafael Leao helped make him a hero with Rossoneri fans.
Theo is an attacking full-back with the swagger of a winger and the instincts of a forward but whose defensive skills have evolved over the years.
He has credited Stefano Pioli, the former Al Nassr coach who was in charge at Milan from 2019 to 2024, as being key to his development, even stepping in as an emergency centre-half on occasions under his watch.
But Theo's performances have waned over time culminating in his latest, most difficult season in Rossoneri colours – a campaign marked by inconsistency, frustration, and growing criticism.
Back in August, Theo came in for criticism over a perceived snub to then coach Paulo Fonseca after being left on the bench for the Serie A clash at Lazio.
With little over a 15 minutes to go, Milan players were gathered around Fonseca during a drinks break listening to instructions – everyone apart from Theo and fellow substitute Leao who convened instead on the far side of the pitch having just come on as substitutes.
“We had been on for two minutes, we didn’t need a cooling break. It was nothing against the team or the manager,” said Theo, while Fonseca insisted: “We don’t need to make problems where there aren’t any.”
Contract renewal talks collapsed after his salary demands were reportedly too high for Milan as questions about his attitude grew.
As leading Milan website SempreMilan noted, Theo is now remembered “more for his style than his football – his aesthetics over his athletics.”
The electric, bold figure Milan fans had grown to love had been replaced by a cautious player lacking in confidence.
Even France coach Didier Deschamps acknowledged the downturn in November. “Theo is an excellent player, even if this season he’s probably not on the same level as in the past,” he said. “He plays a lot, and it can happen.”
There were flashes of brilliance – like his sublime free-kick in Milan’s Supercoppa final comeback triumph over Inter in Riyadh – but they were overshadowed by moments of madness such as his red card during Milan's Uefa Champions League play-off defeat against Feyenoord.
This sending off, with the second yellow awarded for a blatant dive, was widely viewed as the tipping point in his relationship with the club.
Former Milan director Zvonimir Boban was scathing in his assessment: “It feels like he isn’t even trying.”
“Since the start of the season, we’ve seen a Theo who bears no resemblance to the player we once knew. He’s just idle,” the Croatian added.
Italian football journalist Nima Tavallaey Roodsari says his time at Milan has been “marked by soaring highs and painful lows” while also insisting he was one of the best players at the club over his spell.
“He’ll always be remembered for helping deliver the club’s 19th Scudetto, with his goal against Atalanta standing as a defining symbol of that title-winning run – alongside his fierce battles with Inter’s Denzel Dumfries,” said Roodsari.
The goal he referred to was Milan’s second in their 2–0 win over Atalanta – a strike that all but sealed their first Serie A title in 11 years. It was a stunning solo run, starting from the edge of his own box, with Theo in full flow. “But the lows were just as memorable, for all the wrong reasons,” Roodsari adds.
“The now-iconic image of him and Leao refusing to join the team during a cooling break under Fonseca, his costly red card against Feyenoord that ended Milan’s Champions League hopes, and, ultimately, the manner in which he leaves the club.”
Gulf Under 19s
Pools
A – Dubai College, Deira International School, Al Ain Amblers, Warriors
B – Dubai English Speaking College, Repton Royals, Jumeirah College, Gems World Academy
C – British School Al Khubairat, Abu Dhabi Harlequins, Dubai Hurricanes, Al Yasmina Academy
D – Dubai Exiles, Jumeirah English Speaking School, English College, Bahrain Colts
Recent winners
2018 – Dubai College
2017 – British School Al Khubairat
2016 – Dubai English Speaking School
2015 – Al Ain Amblers
2014 – Dubai College
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Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
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The biog
Name: Sarah Al Senaani
Age: 35
Martial status: Married with three children - aged 8, 6 and 2
Education: Masters of arts in cultural communication and tourism
Favourite movie: Captain Corelli’s Mandolin
Favourite hobbies: Art and horseback ridding
Occupation: Communication specialist at a government agency and the owner of Atelier
Favourite cuisine: Definitely Emirati - harees is my favourite dish
THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Lexus LX700h specs
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The specs
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- Golden circle - Dh995
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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RESULTS
Bantamweight: Victor Nunes (BRA) beat Azizbek Satibaldiev (KYG). Round 1 KO
Featherweight: Izzeddin Farhan (JOR) beat Ozodbek Azimov (UZB). Round 1 rear naked choke
Middleweight: Zaakir Badat (RSA) beat Ercin Sirin (TUR). Round 1 triangle choke
Featherweight: Ali Alqaisi (JOR) beat Furkatbek Yokubov (UZB). Round 1 TKO
Featherweight: Abu Muslim Alikhanov (RUS) beat Atabek Abdimitalipov (KYG). Unanimous decision
Catchweight 74kg: Mirafzal Akhtamov (UZB) beat Marcos Costa (BRA). Split decision
Welterweight: Andre Fialho (POR) beat Sang Hoon-yu (KOR). Round 1 TKO
Lightweight: John Mitchell (IRE) beat Arbi Emiev (RUS). Round 2 RSC (deep cuts)
Middleweight: Gianni Melillo (ITA) beat Mohammed Karaki (LEB)
Welterweight: Handesson Ferreira (BRA) beat Amiran Gogoladze (GEO). Unanimous decision
Flyweight (Female): Carolina Jimenez (VEN) beat Lucrezia Ria (ITA), Round 1 rear naked choke
Welterweight: Daniel Skibinski (POL) beat Acoidan Duque (ESP). Round 3 TKO
Lightweight: Martun Mezhlumyan (ARM) beat Attila Korkmaz (TUR). Unanimous decision
Bantamweight: Ray Borg (USA) beat Jesse Arnett (CAN). Unanimous decision
'The Batman'
Stars:Robert Pattinson
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The specs
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
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- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
