A prominent member of Pep Guardiola’s attacking lineup at Manchester City has expressed his desire to leave the club. The potential departure of this player has ignited speculation about an exciting partnership with a Liverpool legend, pending a £30 million offer being accepted.
In recent seasons, Guardiola’s forward line has witnessed significant changes, with Leroy Sane, Raheem Sterling, and Gabriel Jesus all bidding farewell to the Etihad. As a result, the void left by these departures has been filled by talented individuals such as Jack Grealish, Julian Alvarez, and Erling Haaland. The success of City’s treble-winning campaign last year indicates that Guardiola made the right decisions in refreshing his squad at the opportune moment.
One constant presence in Guardiola’s lineup has been Algerian winger Riyad Mahrez. Since joining from Leicester in 2018, Mahrez has been a crucial asset, amassing an impressive record of 78 goals and 59 assists in 239 appearances. Despite his advancing age of 32, he demonstrated last season that there is still plenty of skill and talent left in his tank, reaching double figures in both goals and assists.
Although Bernardo Silva is usually preferred in important matches on the right wing, Mahrez has been a regular starter in that position. However, reports from the Athletic suggest that Mahrez might be on the verge of leaving the club, despite having two years left on his contract. Al Ahli, a club based in Saudi Arabia, appears to be keen on acquiring the lethal winger and has reportedly offered him an extravagant contract worth £25 million per season (approximately £480,000-a-week).
Should Mahrez join Al Ahli, an exciting attacking partnership awaits him with none other than Liverpool legend Roberto Firmino. Firmino, who moved to Al Ahli as a free agent earlier in the summer, has been joined by former Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy at the club. The prospect of seeing Mahrez and Firmino combine forces is undoubtedly tantalizing, considering their immense contributions to England’s two most successful clubs over the past five years.
Updates on Mahrez’s future were provided by reporters Fabrizio Romano and Ben Jacobs. According to Jacobs, Mahrez has verbally agreed to Al Ahli’s terms and is eager to join the Saudi Arabian side. However, the move is not yet complete, as City has yet to receive an official bid for the winger.
Romano chimed in, revealing that Al Ahli is eager to secure Mahrez’s services. While an agreement with the player is nearly finalized, City is yet to receive an official bid. The situation will be clearer on Monday when discussions with Mahrez will shed light on the progress of negotiations with Al Ahli. Only when the player gives the final green light will formal negotiations with Al Ahli commence. As it stands, the deal is not yet done, but Al Ahli is actively pursuing Mahrez’s transfer.
Regarding the cost, Romano emphasized that City will not let Mahrez go for free. This means that the transfer fee negotiated with Al Ahli will play a crucial role in determining the Algerian’s departure from Manchester City this summer. The Athletic reported that Al Ahli is willing to offer around £30 million for the winger, a substantial amount for a player of 32 years. City’s response to this bid will require careful consideration, as it may determine whether Mahrez’s move becomes a reality.