Free from Al-Ahli, Mahrez expected at Al-Shamal to revive his career in Qatar

Riyad Mahrez is on the verge of finding a new club: the Algerian international is set to sign with Al-Shamal, Qatar’s runners-up, in the coming hours, according to specialist media outlet DZfoot.

At 35, the former Manchester City winger has no intention of ending his club career, even though he announced his international retirement following the 2026 World Cup. Since the end of his contract with Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia, several destinations had been mentioned: Italian club Como, Deportivo La Corogne in Spain, as well as leads in Turkey and Brazil with Botafogo. None ultimately materialized, and it is in the Gulf that Mahrez is set to continue his adventure.

Currently in Dubai, where he maintains his fitness through an individual program, the Fennec is well acquainted with this region of the world after three seasons spent in Saudi Arabia. Qatar would therefore not be entirely unfamiliar to him, especially as Al-Shamal would offer him a reunion with several former Algerian national team partners: Baghdad Bounedjah, Omar Rafik and Nassim Benaissa are part of the squad.

Al-Shamal, which just finished as runners-up in Qatar, is also competing this season in an Asian continental competition — a context that reminds Mahrez of his recent experiences with Al-Ahli in the AFC Champions League. For the player, the challenge is also to find a competitive environment after several weeks without a club.