Riyad Mahrez wanted by Al-Shabab and Al-Ettifaq as Saudi transfer window nears close

Al-Shabab and Al-Ettifaq are competing to sign Algeria forward Riyad Mahrez during the remaining days of the Saudi summer transfer window, according to Asharq Al-Awsat.

Mahrez is currently a free agent after his contract with Al-Ahli Saudi FC ended this summer. Both clubs are keen for the 34-year-old to remain in the Saudi Pro League after his three-year spell with Al-Ahli Saudi FC.

Negotiations are understood to be based on an annual salary of about $10m (£7.4m), equivalent to approximately 37.5m Saudi riyals. However, Al-Shabab and Al-Ettifaq are attempting to find a financial agreement that would enable them to complete the deal before the current transfer window closes.

Al-Shabab are pushing hard to secure Mahrez’s signature and believe his arrival would provide a significant improvement to the team’s technical quality. Al-Ettifaq are also interested in bringing in the Algeria international, with the club attracted by his experience and ability.

The financial position of both clubs is making a deal difficult to complete at this stage. According to the report, they are seeking support from the Saudi Pro League’s recruitment programme to help finance the transfer.

Those efforts have so far been hindered by the fact that both clubs have used up the financial space available to them within the programme. That has prevented the parties from reaching a final agreement, despite ongoing attempts to find a solution.

Discussions involving Mahrez are continuing as the relevant parties look for a way to keep him in the Saudi Pro League. There is a desire within the competition not to lose one of its most prominent players, with Mahrez regarded as one of the five most important players to have arrived in the league since 2023, based on his technical influence and performances for Al-Ahli Saudi FC.

Mahrez spent three years with Al-Ahli Saudi FC and made a considerable impact during that period. He helped the Saudi club win the AFC Champions League Elite twice in succession, a major achievement in the club’s history.

He was also regarded as one of the competition’s leading technical figures during the past few seasons. His importance to the league has made his future a matter of considerable interest, while negotiations continue to establish a financial structure that would allow him to move to either Al-Shabab or Al-Ettifaq without exceeding the limits imposed on the clubs.

The immediate challenge for both sides is therefore not only to convince Mahrez to join, but also to negotiate a package that fits within their available resources. With the summer window approaching its final days, Al-Shabab and Al-Ettifaq are racing to find the necessary formula for a transfer that would keep the Algerian forward in Saudi football.