A £30m Deal Sealed
In a surprising turn of events, Manchester City has confirmed a £30m deal for Al-Ahli, a prominent team in the Saudi Pro League, to acquire the services of Algerian winger Riyad Mahrez. The 32-year-old player has been exempted from joining City’s pre-season tour to Japan and South Korea, a decision that was contingent on City receiving an offer that met their valuation of Mahrez.
Mahrez’s Journey at Man City
Mahrez, who had two years remaining on his contract, was a significant acquisition for City in 2018, costing them £60m. His contribution to the Blues’ Treble-winning season last year, where he netted 15 goals in 47 appearances, was noteworthy. However, despite his impressive performance, he remained an unused substitute in both the FA Cup and Champions League finals. This led to the decision by manager Pep Guardiola to allow Mahrez to become the latest high-profile signing by a Saudi Pro-League team.
The Saudi Pro-League’s Rising Profile
The Saudi Pro-League has been making headlines recently with its high-profile acquisitions. Following in the footsteps of Cristiano Ronaldo, players like Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kante, and Ruben Neves have also made their way to Saudi Arabia this summer. Additionally, Steven Gerrard has been appointed as Al-Ettifaq’s manager, and Michael Emenalo has taken up the role of the SPL’s director of football.
The Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) has taken over four of the SPL’s leading clubs, including Al-Ahli, as part of their strategy to elevate the league into the world’s top five.
The Only Senior Player to Miss City’s Asia Trip
Mahrez is the only senior player who will not be part of City’s trip to Asia. The future of other players, such as England defender Kyle Walker, Portugal midfielder Bernardo Silva, and Spain defender Aymeric Laporte, has been a topic of speculation this summer. However, all three are part of Guardiola’s travelling squad, debunking rumours of Walker’s move to Bayern Munich.
Portugal full-back Joao Cancelo is also part of the City squad after Bayern decided against making his last season’s six-month loan a permanent deal. Meanwhile, goalkeeper Zach Steffen is absent due to a knee injury, and City is open to the idea of the USA international moving on this summer.
