Young Algerian defender Diaa Eddine Mechid has taken his first step into European football after completing a move to Russian club Dynamo Makhachkala from USM Alger.
The Russian side confirmed on Friday that Mechid had signed a long-term contract, marking the 20-year-old’s first professional experience outside Algeria.
Dynamo Makhachkala also announced that the former USM Alger player will wear the number 55 shirt for his new club.
The transfer represents a significant milestone in Mechid’s early career. Having emerged as one of the most promising defensive talents of his generation in Algeria, he now faces the challenge of adapting to a league widely regarded for its physical demands and tactical discipline.
The move offers the defender an opportunity to test himself at a higher level and accelerate his development in a competitive European environment.
Mechid’s departure is part of a wider agreement between USM Alger and Dynamo Makhachkala. The deal also paved the way for the return of defender Imad-Eddine Azzi to Algiers, underlining the reciprocal nature of negotiations between the two clubs.
As part of the arrangement, USM Alger secured an estimated 25% share of any future profit from Mechid’s next transfer, a clause designed to protect the club’s long-term interests.
That provision reflects a strategic approach by the Algerian side, which has increasingly sought to safeguard the value of players developed within its youth system.
By retaining a percentage of a future sale, USM Alger ensures it could benefit financially should Mechid’s career continue on its upward trajectory.
On the pitch, Mechid leaves Algeria following a series of consistent performances in the red and black shirt of USM Alger.
His composure, defensive awareness and maturity had drawn attention from several foreign clubs in recent months, before Dynamo Makhachkala ultimately moved to complete the signing.
For the Russian club, the arrival of Mechid is viewed as an investment in the future, with the expectation that the young defender will grow into a key asset over time.
For the player himself, the move opens a new chapter, with the ambition of establishing himself in Eastern Europe and confirming the promise he showed in the Algerian league.
