Saudi Arabian club Al Fateh has made a new attempt to sign Djurgarden goalkeeper Jacob Rinne. The reports come from Swedish outlet Sportbladet and have been acknowledged by the player himself.
Rinne, who recently kept a clean sheet in the 3-0 win over Malmö FF, says he is aware of the interest. "I know that an inquiry has been made. That's as far as it goes," he told the newspaper. The keeper stresses that his focus is entirely on Djurgarden, where he is under contract until the summer of 2029. The club is currently fourth in the Allsvenskan standings, just two points off third place.
What does Jacob Rinne say about the interest?
Jacob Rinne addresses the reports with composure. He notes that it's nice people think he's doing a good job, but his primary thoughts are with Djurgarden. "I'm very happy at Djurgarden, I have a contract here and that's where my full focus lies," explains the 33-year-old. He adds that in football you know anything can happen, but a return to Saudi Arabia is not something he is actively considering.
The goalkeeper has been a steady presence between the posts this year. He has kept seven clean sheets in his 22 Allsvenskan matches this season, a figure that places him high in the domestic league. Djurgarden has the third-best defence in the league with only 24 goals conceded, a performance Rinne is a big part of. His current form can be seen on our stats page.
How has Al Fateh acted before?
This is not the first time Al Fateh has shown interest in bringing back their former goalkeeper. A year ago, in the summer of 2025, the Saudi club made an offer that Djurgarden turned down. Rinne played two seasons for Al Fateh between 2022 and 2024, making 64 appearances for the club before returning to Sweden.
His current deal with Djurgarden was signed in August 2024 and is a four-and-a-half-year commitment. This means the club is in a strong negotiating position should a serious bid materialise. According to Sportbladet, it remains unclear how concrete the current interest is.
Where does Djurgarden stand in Allsvenskan right now?
The win over Malmö FF on Monday night was important for the league table. With 44 points, the team sits in fourth place, close to the top of the table. Third-placed BK Häcken have 46 points but have also played one more game. The team faces a tough match next weekend when they travel to face IFK Norrköping. All upcoming fixtures are listed on our fixtures page.
The squad is currently relatively injury-free, giving manager Kim Bergstrand good options. An overview of the entire playing staff is available on our squad page. Jacob Rinne has been the starting goalkeeper in all 22 league matches so far in 2026. His next chance to keep a clean sheet comes on September 13th when Djurgarden travels to Norrköping.
