According to Sam Lee of The Athletic, Al-Ahli are preparing a £30 million bid for Manchester City superstar Riyad Mahrez. The Algerian has been linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League for a while now.
Since his 2018 move from Leicester City, Mahrez has been a key player for the Cityzens. He has made 236 appearances for the Sky Blues across compeittions, scoring 78 goals and providing 59 assists.
The 32-year-old made 47 appearances for Pep Guardiola’s side that won the treble last season. Mahrez scored 15 goals and provided 13 assists across competitions for the Cityzens.
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 set-up at the Etihad. Mahrez’s deal with the Cityzens expires at the end of the 2024-25 season. Whether Manchester City agree to sell Mahrez to Al-Ahli remains to be seen.
Pep Guardiola said how Riyad Mahrez reacts when he’s not playing regularly for Manchester City
Considering Manchester City’s star-studded squad, superstars like Riyad Mahrez have to spend time on the sidelines occasionally. Manager Pep Guardiola said last season how Mahrez gets unhappy when he’s not in the starting lineup.
That came after the Algerian scored a hat-trick in the FA Cup semifinal against Sheffield United. Speaking about Mahrez and his reactions when the player is not in the starting XI, Guardiola said (via transfer expert Fabrizio Romano):
“Mahrez? He’s grumpy with me when he doesn’t play, all the time. He makes me notice when he’s grumpy. I’m so happy for Riyad. He loves to play football. He’s given so much for this club and hopefully in the future.”
Riyad Mahrez has been a reliable player for the Cityzens since his move to the Manchester club. However, considering his age, Mahrez may not have very long left at the top, so a move to Saudi Arabia could be a potential option for the winger.