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According to The Athletic’s Sam Lee, Al-Ahly is preparing a £30m bid for Manchester City star Riyad Mahrez. The Algerian has been linked with a move to the Saudi Professional League for a while now.
Since his 2018 move from Leicester City, Mahrez has been a regular fixture for City. He has played 236 games for the Celestial Blues across competitions, scoring 78 goals and providing 59 assists.
The 32-year-old made 47 appearances for Pep Guardiola’s side, which won the treble last season. Mahrez scored 15 goals and provided 13 assists across competitions for City.
Technically, Mahrez is one of the best players in the world in his position. Despite being 32, he remains an important part of Pep Guardiola’s formation at the Etihad. Mahrez’s deal with Citizens expires at the end of the 2024-25 season. It is not yet clear whether Manchester City agrees to sell Mahrez to Al-Ahly.
Pep Guardiola talks about Riyad Mahrez’s reaction when he doesn’t play regularly for Manchester City
Given Manchester City’s star-studded squad, superstars like Riyad Mahrez have to spend some time on the sidelines every once in a while. Coach Pep Guardiola said last season how miserable Mahrez feels when he is not in the starting line-up.
This came after the Algerian scored a hat-trick in the FA Cup semi-final against Sheffield United. Speaking about Mahrez and his reaction when a player is not in the starting line-up, Guardiola said (via transfer expert Fabrizio Romano):
“Mahrez? He’s angry with me when he doesn’t play all the time. He makes me notice when he’s angry. I’m very happy for Riyad. He loves playing football. He’s done a lot for this club and I hope he’s in the future.”
Riyad Mahrez has been a trusted player in the Citizens squad since his move to Manchester. However, given his age, Mahrez may not stay long at the top, so a move to Saudi Arabia could be a possible option for the winger.
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