USM Alger sign Algerian-French midfielder Farid Boulaya on free transfer

Algerian-French attacking midfielder Farid Boulaya has joined USM Alger from Serbian side IMT Belgrad on a free transfer.

The 33-year-old, who operates in an advanced midfield role and favours his right foot, moves to the Algerian club after a short spell in Serbia. He signed for IMT Belgrad as a free agent on 29 January 2026, but made no appearances in the Serbian SuperLiga during the 2026-27 season before switching clubs.

Boulaya returns to Algeria with experience from a career spent across France, Spain, Qatar and Serbia. His most significant spell came at French club FC Metz, whom he joined from Girona in 2018 for a fee of €800,000.

He helped Metz win the French second-tier title in the 2018-19 season, one of the principal honours of his career. Boulaya had initially moved to Girona from SC Bastia in July 2017 before returning to France on loan in January 2018 and later completing a permanent transfer to Metz.

After four seasons with Metz, Boulaya left France for Qatar, joining Al-Gharafa on a free transfer in August 2022. He moved to fellow Qatari club Al-Wakrah in September 2024, also without a transfer fee, and remained there until becoming a free agent in July 2025.

His move to IMT Belgrad followed a period without a club, and the Serbian side represented his most recent destination before the switch to USM Alger. The transfer takes him from the Serbian top flight to Ligue 1 with the Algerian club.

Boulaya has also played for Clermont Foot and FC Istres earlier in his career, having begun his senior journey with Istres FC B. He stands 1.80m tall and is listed primarily as an attacking midfielder.

USM Alger completed Boulaya’s free transfer on 20 August 2026.