Al-Shabab President Hints at Riyad Mahrez Transfer After Al-Hilal Defeat

Abdulaziz Al-Malik walked out of the SHG Arena with a 2-0 defeat to digest and a transfer storm to manage. By the time he finished speaking, the result almost felt like a subplot.

Al-Hilal had just beaten Al-Shabab 2-0 on Friday evening in the fifth round of the Saudi Roshn League, a routine scoreline in a heavyweight’s title march. The real noise came after the final whistle, when the Al-Shabab president was pressed on one name: Riyad Mahrez.

The Algerian star, recently released by Al-Ahli after the club terminated his deal a year before it was due to end, has been circling the Saudi market again. His name has been heavily linked to Al-Shabab in the current summer window, and the speculation only intensified in the hours leading up to the match.

Asked directly about the club’s stance on signing Mahrez, Al-Malik chose his words carefully but lit the fuse anyway.

“Riyad Mahrez is a big gain for Saudi football and for Al-Shabab, and God willing we will see over the next 48 hours what will happen,” he told Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat.

One sentence. Forty-eight hours. That was enough.

Transfer talk, already bubbling, suddenly boiled. Reports have pointed to a possible Mahrez return to Al-Ahli, even as Al-Ittihad are also credited with a strong interest in the 35-year-old winger. Now Al-Shabab, beaten on the night but bold off the pitch, have placed themselves firmly in that conversation.

Mahrez’s Saudi chapter has already been decorated. He joined Al-Ahli in the summer of 2023 from Manchester City and went on to spend three years in the Roshn League. During that spell he helped the Jeddah club to two AFC Champions League Elite titles and a Saudi Super Cup, underlining his status as one of the league’s marquee foreign stars.

Then came the abrupt end. Al-Ahli moved to terminate his contract unilaterally at the close of last season, cutting ties a year early and throwing one of the region’s most gifted attackers back onto the market.

Now his next move hangs over the league.

• Al-Ahli, the club he just left.
• Al-Ittihad, eager to add his creativity and experience.
• Al-Shabab, wounded by Al-Hilal but clearly ambitious, with a president talking about a “big gain” and a 48-hour window.

The clock is ticking. Where does Riyad Mahrez land next?