Al Ahli: "A serious mistake," Mahrez missed in Saudi Arabia

The departure of Riyad Mahrez continues to spark debates around Al Ahli. As the Jeddah club struggles to regain its best form since the start of the season, many voices in Saudi Arabia are questioning the decisions made during the offseason.

Al Ahli found some joy on Friday by defeating Al Hazm (3-1), with a brace from Ivan Toney. This victory allows the club to breathe a little easier, but it does not erase the difficulties faced since the season began.

In this context, the management's choices during the last transfer window are often called into question. Among the decisions that evoke the most regret is the failure to extend contracts for Riyad Mahrez and Franck Kessié.

The two former pillars of Al Ahli left the club while Francisco Trincão, brought in to fill the offensive role left vacant by the Algerian, is also experiencing a difficult start.

Bandar Ibrahim Jarallah Al-Nakhli, a former Al Ahli player, shared his views on the situation. Invited on a Saudi channel, he believes the club made a mistake by parting ways with Mahrez and Kessié in favor of players he considers less talented.

“Parting ways with the duo of Riyad Mahrez and Franck Kessié and recruiting players who do not possess the same technical quality is a serious mistake,” he stated.

According to the former player, the responsibility lies directly with those who managed the recruitment. “The person who made the decision to recruit players and not retain the team's key players bears full responsibility for the current situation of the team, which is struggling from match to match,” he continued.

Mahrez, who still had a year left on his contract with an option for a fourth season, was ultimately not retained. Kessié also left Jeddah.

For Al Ahli, the hope now is that the new signings can make fans forget about these two pillars.

DZfoot