Saudi club Al-Ahli have set their sights on the man who conquered the Morocco national team, hoping to land him this summer as a successor to former Ivorian midfielder Franck Kessié.
Kessié left Al-Ahli when his contract expired at the end of last season, closing out three historic years in which he led the team to two AFC Champions League Elite titles and the Saudi Super Cup after a nine-year absence.
Reliable journalist Rudy Galetti revealed on his personal account on the "X" platform that Al-Ahli are targeting Senegalese Pape Gueye, the Villarreal midfielder, to fill the void left by Kessié next season.
Galetti added a twist. Gueye is competing with Kessié himself, as the Ivorian could yet return to Al-Ahli next season given the club's failure to sign a replacement so far.
Few players have shone brighter for Senegal in recent times. Gueye scored the winning goal against Morocco in the final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, before the title was later stripped from the "Lions of Teranga".
The 27-year-old capped the campaign by winning the award for best African player in the Spanish league last season, collecting 38% of the votes from fans and journalists.
Gueye has played for Villarreal since 2024, when he arrived from France's Marseille. He has featured in 64 matches and scored 9 goals.