Pakistan, Sept. 4 -- Al-Ittihad have announced the signing of Colombian midfielder Richard Rios on loan from Benfica for the season, in a deal valued at 4 million according to Transfermarkt. The arrival bolsters a midfield that has been weakened by the departures of N'Golo Kante and Fabinho this year.

Kante departed for Fenerbahce in January, followed by Fabinho's exit in the summer. With Mahamadou Doumbia having torn his ACL before the end of last season, the Al-Ittihad midfield has been stretched.

Dion Lopy joined Al-Ittihad earlier this summer from Almeria, alongside former Al-Ettifaq midfielder Mukhtar Ali, but head coach Jens Wissing had been searching for a box-to-box presence - something Rios can provide. The Colombian internatio...