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Article continues belowArticle continues belowArticle continues below<ul><li>Won the Treble with City last season</li><li>Guardiola wanted him to stay</li><li>New challenge sought in Middle East</li></ul><script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_5704afb8-c10b-4ba5-9cb4-d7fb6098ef90"}}</script>

Why did Riyad Mahrez leave Man City for Saudi Pro League? £30m winger explains shock transfer call as he admits to ‘unfinished business’ in the Champions League

FA Cup

Manchester City

Manchester United

Saudi Pro League

Al Ahli

Al-Fayha

The Algerian winger formed part of the mass exodus that saw leading lights in European football head for the Middle East in the summer of 2023. Mahrez <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/news/riyad-mahrez-leaves-man-city-completes-gbp30-million-move-to-saudi-pro-league-side-al-ahli/blt2b9942371219d981" target="_blank">linked up with Al-Ahli in a £30 million ($37m) transfer</a>, with that move completed on the back of <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/pep-guardiola-masterpiece-how-man-city-won-treble/bltb9d0b3f4eaf5f2a0" target="_blank">savouring Treble glory with City</a>.

WHAT HAPPENED?

Pep <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/news/pep-guardiola-saudi-arabia-big-spending-changed-market-man-city-riyad-mahrez/bltf75745b84546bd02" target="_blank">Guardiola wanted Mahrez to remain at the Etihad Stadium</a>, despite leaving him on the bench for a Champions League final win over Inter, and the 32-year-old forward has told <a href="https://www.lequipe.fr/Football/Article/Maghreb-fc-le-blog-de-nabil-djellit-riyad-mahrez-c-est-vraiment-moi-qui-ai-decide-de-partir/1431476?xtor=EPR-608&amp;m_i=fM1V37I0ZsbwrsmOs%2BVNjSBj7YWm%2BPrQ3Tr39JgwN3X54htb9TI1ZMYl0LTBEFdPNnSYxv6892QzjujYobt2NpS3CSnCygjbkskofs&amp;M_BT=3766953913556 " target="_blank">L’Equipe</a> of why he bid farewell to England: “I had two years left on my contract with Manchester City, I could have stayed. It was really me who decided to leave. I felt that this opportunity would not come again. Maybe it was time to leave because I had spent five years at City and won everything. Txiki Begiristain (technical director) really wanted me to stay, and even Pep Guardiola. They made it clear to me. I weighed the pros and cons. And finally, I decided to leave. I don't regret it, I'm happy to be here."

WHAT MAHREZ SAID ABOUT LEAVING CITY

Mahrez added on the quality of the Saudi Pro League: "The level of the Saudi league is not bad. It's going to get better and better. It’s a championship that I’m learning. Here, they have put the resources into recruiting the best players. There's definitely quality, I think it's just the beginning. Can we compare it to Europe? I don't think so yet. But at this rate, in the near future, they can be among the five, six or seven best Championships in the world."

WHAT MAHREZ SAID ABOUT THE SAUDI PRO LEAGUE

Mahrez has signed a contract worth £43m ($53m) per year in Saudi Arabia and is fully committed to his new cause despite having some regrets at how his time in Europe finished – as he failed to take to the field before claiming a Champions League winners’ medal. He added: “To be honest, I still have a taste of unfinished business. In the Champions League, I did not play the semi-final or the final. In previous seasons, I always started in the Champions League while always being impactful for my team. This last year, I couldn't say it went badly, but I have a bit of this feeling of unfinished business. I was offered four years in Saudi Arabia, in a Muslim country where I can definitely protect (and provide for) my family. There was also a new challenge, and a new project. So, I decided to leave, it wasn't a big deal.”

WHAT MAHREZ SAID ABOUT UCL FINAL SNUB

Mahrez has made a positive impact at Al-Ahli, scoring six goals through 14 appearances, and has them sat third in the Saudi Pro League table – behind Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr and league leaders Al-Hilal. Next up for Al-Ahli is a meeting with Al-Shabab, who are currently 11th in the standings, on November 25.

WHAT NEXT?

Why did Riyad Mahrez leave Man City for Saudi Pro League? £30m winger explains shock transfer call as he admits to ‘unfinished business’ in the Champions League | Goal.com Kenya

Riyad Mahrez has explained why he left Manchester City for the Saudi Pro League while still having “unfinished business” in the Champions League.

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