Riyad Mahrez (32-Al Ahli), who left for Saudi Arabia after winning the treble with Manchester City, is on the chopping block. While he has put together an impressive record since his move to Saudi Arabia, he has been criticized for not giving his best on the pitch. This has led to claims that Mahrez wants a return to the Premier League.굿모닝토토 도메인
French outlet Foot Mercato reported on Nov. 11 (KST), “Mahrez has been heavily criticized for his performances as the team struggles. He scored six goals and provided seven assists in his first 14 games, but has failed to live up to expectations. Mahrez has been consistently criticized by Saudi soccer pundits.”
Mahrez left the Premier League for the Saudi league last summer. With a big offer that was hard to resist, he donned an Al Ahli shirt and played alongside former Premier League stars such as Roberto Firmino (32), Edouard Mendy (31), and Alain Saint-Maximin (26). He’s not just a member of the team, he wears the captain’s armband.
At Allianz, Mahrez earns €35 million a year. This is the ninth highest salary of any soccer player in the world, according to a report in August by French publication Le Parisien. With his oil money in hand, he has been the ace of the team in Saudi Arabia, producing almost one attacking point per game.
However, despite his success, Mahrez has his detractors. Hussein Abdulghani (46-Saudi Arabia), who has played for Al Ahli and Al Nasr in the past, says: “Mahrez has a lot of skill, but he doesn’t have the passion that Cristiano Ronaldo (38-Al Nasr) has. He’s one of the best wingers in the world, but he hasn’t even shown 40% so far.” “If he played like he did last year, he would entertain us. If he played like he did last year, he would have entertained us.”
In response to the allegations that Mahrez is not giving his best on the pitch, Altrincham coach Matthias Jagiele (35-Germany) came to his defense. He praised Mahrez’s performance and insisted that he was contributing enough to the team.
However, despite his defense, reports have emerged that Mahrez is tired of the ongoing criticism and wants a return to the Premier League. According to ‘Foot Mercato’, “The Saudis claim that Mahrez is frustrated here and has his heart set elsewhere. There are also reports that Mahrez will return to England this winter.” However, it is unlikely that Mahrez, who earns a hefty salary, will leave Saudi Arabia anytime soon.
Mahrez, who has played for the likes of Leicester City and Man City, is an accomplished Premier League winger with excellent technique and a precise left-footed kick. He was named the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) Player of the Year in 2016 with Leicester City before moving to Man City, where he has been a consistent performer and won a treble last season.