Riyad Mahrez reaches agreement over potential Manchester City exit with decision to be made

Riyad Mahrez is reportedly looking to depart Manchester City as he considers a move to Saudi Arabia, putting him at loggerheads with the club.

The 32-year-old has been at the centre of various levels of transfer speculation this summer, with Manchester City understood to be in the market for a new wide-forward and looking to refresh their squad across the board ahead of the new season.

According to Sports Zone as translated and relayed by Get French Football News, the Algeria international has already reached an agreement with the Saudi Arabian investment fund PIF over a potential move to the Saudi Pro League.

The agreement includes a salary of approximately €25 million per year. However, Mahrez’s move depends on Manchester City’s willingness to allow him to leave the club as he has a contract until June 2025.

Despite his desire to make the switch, Mahrez maintains a strong relationship with Manchester City and does not intend to force the move.

Instead, It is claimed that the Algeria international is now waiting to find out whether or not Etihad Stadium officials will allow for a move from Manchester City to occur, with the 32-year-old open to making a move to the middle-east.

He hopes that the club will facilitate his departure as he had been a key player in City’s record-breaking season which saw them lift the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League in the 2022-23 campaign.

However, his potential departure comes at a time when Manchester City are also dealing with the possibility of losing Bernardo Silva.

From the viewpoint of Manchester City, Sports Zone states that the Premier League champions planned to retain Mahrez this summer, with manager Pep Guardiola refusing to accept a situation where both the Algeria international and Bernardo Silva leave this summer.