Stefan Cleary Loaned to Beveren by Al-Ittihad

Al-Ittihad have signed off on a key step in Stefan Cleary’s development, sending the young talent on loan to Belgian side Beveren until the end of the current season.

The club, known as “The Dean”, confirmed on Tuesday evening via their official X account that Beveren’s request for a loan deal had been approved. Cleary now leaves “The Tigers” on a temporary basis to test himself in a new league and a very different footballing environment.

This is not a cut-and-run. It is a calculated move.

Al-Ittihad want Cleary playing. Not watching. Regular minutes have been hard to guarantee in a squad packed with experience and star power, so the club have chosen the more demanding route: send him out, let him earn his place, and see what comes back.

The plan is clear. Cleary will stay with Beveren until the end of the current campaign, then return to Jeddah unless fresh developments reshape his future in the months ahead. The door remains open, but the expectation is that he comes back sharper, stronger and ready to compete.

Before he left, the Al-Ittihad hierarchy delivered a message of support, publicly wishing him success and expressing hope that Belgium becomes the making of him, not just a detour. It was a reminder that this loan is part of a broader strategy rather than an afterthought.

Al-Ittihad are quietly reshaping their squad this season. New arrivals come in, others head out on loan, all under the pressure of fierce internal competition. Cleary’s departure fits that pattern: a young player sent abroad to toughen up, learn, and return with a different edge.

So Stefan Cleary turns the page. From Jeddah to Beveren, with Al-Ittihad’s blessing and a season to prove he can turn potential into performance. The next few months in Belgium will say a lot about where his story goes next.