Felix Sanchez link sparks Algeria hopes of Baghdad Bounedjah return

Felix Sanchez is reportedly close to becoming the next Algeria manager, and his possible appointment has prompted speculation in the local press that Baghdad Bounedjah could be given a route back into the national team.

The Spanish coach is considered the leading candidate to replace Vladimir Petkovic and is said to have already reached an agreement in principle with the Algerian Football Federation (FAF).

According to Algerian sports newspaper Competition, Sanchez and the FAF have agreed the outline of a two-year contract. The 50-year-old’s main objective would be to guide Algeria to at least the semi-finals of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

That potential change in the dugout has led Competition to examine whether Bounedjah could return to the squad after falling out of favour during the final months of Petkovic’s tenure.

The 34-year-old striker, who has won 86 caps and scored 35 goals for Algeria, has not been selected since the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. He was also left out of the squad for the 2026 World Cup.

Bounedjah’s physical strength and ability in the air could make him an effective focal point in Sanchez’s attacking system, Competition reports. His presence could give Algeria a target in the final third while creating additional room for the team’s wingers.

A return would not be unwelcome to Bounedjah himself. At the end of April, he had already made the case for his reinstatement to the national team, although that appeal did not lead to a recall.

The former Algeria international was later backed by his former team-mate Hilal Soudani. Soudani argued that the Oran-born forward “can sometimes get angry” but is not “someone who harms the group”.

Bounedjah currently plays for Al-Shamal SC, where his physical style and aerial threat remain central to his game. Those attributes could fit the profile of the established centre-forward Sanchez may want to use as a focal point, should the reported agreement with the FAF result in his appointment.

For now, however, Sanchez’s expected arrival and Bounedjah’s possible return remain matters of speculation. The reported two-year agreement has not been presented as a formal appointment, while the striker has not been recalled since the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

Sanchez, 50, would therefore inherit an Algeria side whose immediate ambition would be to make a deep run at the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. Competition’s assessment is that Bounedjah’s experience, power and record for the national team could make him a candidate for a renewed role under the Spanish coach.

Whether that scenario develops will depend first on Sanchez taking charge and then on his view of the forward who became one of the notable omissions of Petkovic’s final months.