Morocco defender Achraf Dari is being linked with a return to French football, with Ahly SC centre-back reportedly on the radar of Ligue 2 side Saint-Étienne.
The 26-year-old, currently valued at €1.20m, is the subject of transfer speculation suggesting the Cairo giants could be prepared to listen to approaches from the former Ligue 1 club. The move is currently listed with an unspecified probability (“?”), underlining that talks, if any, remain at an early and uncertain stage rather than an advanced negotiation.
Dari is under contract at Ahly SC, but the absence of publicly available contract expiry details leaves open the possibility that he could become a free agent in the near future, adding another layer of intrigue to the rumours. For Saint-Étienne, who operate in France’s second tier, a deal close to his current market valuation would represent a relatively low-risk addition with top-flight experience.
Born in Casablanca on 6 May 1999, the 1.88m right-footed centre-back has already played in Morocco, France and Belgium. After emerging through Wydad Casablanca’s youth and reserve ranks, he established himself in the Botola Pro before earning a move to Stade Brestois 29 in Ligue 1 in 2022. A loan spell at Royal Charleroi SC in Belgium’s top flight followed in early 2024, prior to his switch to Al Ahly later that summer.
His market value, which peaked at €2.5m during his early Brest spell, has gradually declined to €1.20m as of December 2025, reflecting a period of fluctuating form and game time, although no specific recent match performances or scorelines are detailed in the available data. Even so, his experience in European leagues and at one of Africa’s biggest clubs makes him an appealing option for a Saint-Étienne defence seeking physical presence and aerial strength.
Should a move materialise, a return to France with a promotion-chasing side could offer Dari a platform to rebuild his reputation in Europe and potentially relaunch his career trajectory.
