Riyad Mahrez: Rais M’Bolhi reported to have helped secure Al-Shamal move

Riyad Mahrez is close to joining Al-Shamal after former Algeria team-mate Rais M’Bolhi reportedly helped manage the transfer.

The 35-year-old forward, who won 119 caps and scored 40 goals for Algeria, travelled to Qatar on Monday to complete the move, according to Competition. Mahrez has been without a club for three months and is expected to sign a one-year contract with an option to extend.

The transfer was reportedly handled by M’Bolhi, according to winwin, although no further details were provided.

Mahrez and M’Bolhi were team-mates with Algeria from 2014 until 2024. Their time together included victory at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. M’Bolhi’s international career with the Fennecs ended after the disappointment of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

The former Algeria goalkeeper won 96 caps during his international career and is understood to have remained on good terms with Mahrez since their time together in the national team.

M’Bolhi is now preparing to begin a coaching career, winwin also reports. The former Stade Rennais goalkeeper retired from playing at the end of February after two spells ended unsuccessfully, first at CR Belouizdad and then at ES Mostaganem.

Mahrez’s arrival at Al-Shamal would follow the mutual termination of his contract with Al-Ahli at the start of July, ending a three-year association with the Saudi club.

During that period, Mahrez helped Al-Ahli win the Asian Champions League twice, in 2025 and 2026. Those triumphs were the first in the club’s history.

Mahrez announced his retirement from international football to his former Algeria team-mates on 3 July, following the team’s 2-0 defeat by Switzerland in the last 16 of the 2026 World Cup.

If the transfer to Al-Shamal is completed, Mahrez will be reunited with another former Algeria international, Baghdad Bounedjah.