Settling in the Arab region: Mahrez on the verge of signing for a new club

After the experience with Al-Ahli of Saudi Arabia

Three months after leaving Saudi side Al-Ahli, Algeria's Riyad Mahrez is on the verge of signing for a new club within the next few hours.

The 35-year-old right winger retired from international football this summer following the 2026 World Cup. He intends, though, to keep his career going at club level.

Plenty of rumours have swirled around Mahrez's next destination. Some linked him with Spain's Deportivo La Coruña or Brazil's Botafogo, while a move to the Turkish league was also mooted.

According to Algerian website "DZfoot", Mahrez, who has spent a few days in Dubai keeping his fitness up, will put pen to paper with Qatar's Al-Shamal and link up with compatriot Baghdad Bounedjah.

Al-Shamal already field two other Algerians in Omar Rafik and Nassim Ben Aissa. The club are competing in the AFC Champions League Elite this season, the very competition Mahrez won with Al-Ahli in each of the last two editions.

His CV is a glittering one. Mahrez lifted the English Premier League title five times, four with Manchester City and once with Leicester City, and he also won the UEFA Champions League with the Citizens.