Riyad Mahrez has found his next club. The Algeria international is closing in on a move to Qatari side Al-Shamal following his exit from Saudi Arabia's Al-Ahli, a switch that takes him back into the thick of Asian competition.
According to Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, Mahrez has given his verbal agreement to join Al-Shamal on a short-term deal. He is now set to complete the final formalities on his transfer. The winger has been a free agent since leaving Al-Ahli last June.
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Qatar now awaits after three seasons in Saudi Arabia. Mahrez helped Al-Ahli to the AFC Champions League Elite title before his time at the club came to an end last summer.
His latest move carries an added twist. Al-Shamal are competing in the AFC Champions League Elite this season, a competition Mahrez knows inside out, and it keeps him on the continental stage.
One date stands out above the rest. Al-Shamal are expected to face "the Classy" on 23 November in the AFC Champions League Elite, pitting Mahrez against his former side for the first time since he left.
That meeting will be loaded with emotion, only this time he will wear the colours of Al-Shamal. The fixture sends him straight back to the club he represented from 2023, as he opens a fresh chapter of his career in the region.