Man City and Al Ahli agree fee for Riyad Mahrez after Pep Guardiola left him fuming

Manchester City and Al Ahli have reached an agreement for the transfer of Riyad Mahrez during this summer window, according to talkSPORT. The talented winger is set to join the Saudi Pro League, becoming the latest high-profile player to make the move.

Al Ahli has agreed to pay a fee of £30 million to City for the services of the 32-year-old, who has already agreed to personal terms with the club. As a result, Mahrez has been given permission to not travel with the squad on their pre-season trip to Japan and South Korea.

It is understood that Mahrez informed Pep Guardiola of his desire to leave City this summer. This decision comes after the player was left out of the starting line-ups for both the Champions League and FA Cup finals. Despite making 47 appearances and contributing with 15 goals and 13 assists last season, Mahrez was left frustrated as Bernardo Silva was preferred over him in those crucial matches.

Guardiola is reportedly content with Mahrez’s departure, especially since Al Ahli has matched City’s asking price. The Gulf State has seen several high-profile transfers in recent times, with Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kante, and Ruben Neves among the notable players who have made the move to Saudi Arabia.

In addition to Mahrez’s departure, there have been other potential exits from the Etihad Stadium. Kyle Walker is rumored to be closing in on a move to Bayern Munich, while Joao Cancelo could also leave after spending the second half of last season on loan at the Bundesliga club. Aymeric Laporte, Bernardo Silva, and backup goalkeeper Zach Steffen are also linked with possible departures.

Meanwhile, Steven Gerrard has taken up the managerial role at Al Ettifaq and is reportedly close to securing the signing of Jordan Henderson from Liverpool.

City is now considering options in the transfer market to find a suitable replacement for Mahrez. Although Mahrez is the only senior player not traveling to Asia, the club is facing the potential departure of several other players.

Mahrez has enjoyed a successful spell at City, winning four Premier League titles, as well as the Champions League and FA Cup last season.
Manchester City have made their move to sign Leicester City winger Riyad Mahrez after weeks of speculation linking the Algerian to the Premier League outfit. According to reports, City and Al Ahli, Mahrez’s current club, have agreed on a fee believed to be in the region of £60 million, bringing to closure weeks of uncertainty regarding the 27-year-old’s future.

Mahrez had been linked with a move to Manchester City for some time, but recent developments have cast doubt over his possible move to the Premier League Champions. Last week manager Pep Guardiola left Mahrez fuming after the Spaniard failed to meet a deadline the player had set for a move to Manchester City. It was believed that this had scuppered any chances of Mahrez donning the sky blue of City, however, reports have suggested the player was more determined than ever to join the club which had been his number one target all summer.

The 27-year-old is now set to complete his switch to one of the world’s biggest clubs, where he will be looking to hit the ground running following the disappointment of not playing any part in Algeria’s World Cup campaign, due to their group stage exit.

The news completes a dramatic few weeks for the former Leicester City star, and Manchester City supporters will get an opportunity to see their new man in action next season. With the transfer now confirmed, Manchester City will be hoping that Mahrez can bring his impressive form from Leicester to the Etihad Stadium and has a successful career with the club.