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Riyad Mahrez Leaves Manchester City for Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ahli

Manchester City's Riyad Mahrez applauds the fans after the end of the English FA Cup semifinal between Manchester City and Sheffield United at Wembley Stadium in London, Saturday, April 22, 2023. (AP)
Manchester City's Riyad Mahrez applauds the fans after the end of the English FA Cup semifinal between Manchester City and Sheffield United at Wembley Stadium in London, Saturday, April 22, 2023. (AP)
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Riyad Mahrez Leaves Manchester City for Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ahli

Manchester City's Riyad Mahrez applauds the fans after the end of the English FA Cup semifinal between Manchester City and Sheffield United at Wembley Stadium in London, Saturday, April 22, 2023. (AP)
Manchester City's Riyad Mahrez applauds the fans after the end of the English FA Cup semifinal between Manchester City and Sheffield United at Wembley Stadium in London, Saturday, April 22, 2023. (AP)

Riyad Mahrez is the latest Premier League player to head to Saudi Arabia after signing with Al-Ahli.

The Algeria international was a key player in Leicester's shocking title win in 2016 and then won the league four more times with Manchester City. He leaves after a season in which City won the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League.

“I’ve made a lifetime of wonderful memories and the manner of our Premier League title wins and the battles we’ve had with Liverpool and, last year, Arsenal, underlined our collective desire and mentality to be the best,” Mahrez said in a statement on City's website.

Mahrez scored 15 goals in 47 games in his final season with City but didn't start in some of the biggest matches. He was an unused substitute in both the Champions League and FA Cup finals, and he only made one substitute appearance from the Champions League quarterfinals onward.

At Al-Ahli, he will join Roberto Firmino, who was formerly with Liverpool, and former Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy. Al-Ahli, from the Saudi port city of Jeddah, said the 32-year-old Mahrez signed a contract through the end of the 2026-27 season.

Born in the Paris suburbs, Mahrez came through the French lower leagues before joining Leicester in the English second tier in January 2014. The club was promoted to the Premier League in his first season and Mahrez was crucial to its sensational title win in 2016 with his 17 goals.

Mahrez's heroics at Leicester led to him being named African Player of the Year for 2016. At international level, he captained Algeria to the 2019 African Cup of Nations title.

Al-Ahli is also set to sign one of Europe's highest-rated young coaches in Matthias Jaissle, Austrian club Salzburg said in a statement confirming the 35-year-old German had been released from his duties.

Salzburg said Jaissle asked for a move two days before the new Austrian league season starts, and that talks between the club and Al-Ahli were under way.

Jaissle was praised for reaching the knockout stages of the Champions League with Salzburg in his first season in charge in 2021-22.

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Griezmann Given Go-Ahead to Talk with Orlando City

Soccer Football - La Liga - Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid - Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain - March 22, 2026 Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann in action with Real Madrid's Fran Garcia. (Reuters)
Soccer Football - La Liga - Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid - Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain - March 22, 2026 Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann in action with Real Madrid's Fran Garcia. (Reuters)
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Griezmann Given Go-Ahead to Talk with Orlando City

Soccer Football - La Liga - Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid - Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain - March 22, 2026 Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann in action with Real Madrid's Fran Garcia. (Reuters)
Soccer Football - La Liga - Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid - Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain - March 22, 2026 Atletico Madrid's Antoine Griezmann in action with Real Madrid's Fran Garcia. (Reuters)

France's World Cup-winning striker Antoine Griezmann is to hold talks with Major League Soccer's Orlando City, having been permitted by his present side Atletico Madrid to go to the US during the international break, a source close to the player told AFP.

Should both parties agree a deal, the 35-year-old would move to Orlando this summer after seeing out the present campaign with the La Liga outfit.

Griezmann "has been authorised by his club to travel to Orlando during his days off in order to make progress in the discussions linked to his future," said the source on Monday.

A move to the MLS has been rumoured for years, with the 2018 World Cup winner known to be an admirer of other American sports leagues such as the NBA and NFL.

Atletico had shut the door on their all-time record goalscorer -- he has scored 211 goals over two spells -- moving this season with the MLS transfer window opening on March 26.

Griezmann, who also played in the 2022 World Cup final defeat by Argentina, retired from the French national side in 2024 having made 137 appearances, scoring 44 goals.

Griezmann signed an extension last year to his present contract, taking him up to June 2027, but is no longer an automatic first choice for Atletico.

Despite falling down the pecking order he has scored 13 times this season and can entertain hopes of ending his time with Atletico with one last hurrah.

They play Real Sociedad, the club he began his professional career with, in the final of the Copa del Rey on April 18, just after facing Barcelona in their two-legged Champions League quarter-final.

Griezmann inspired Atletico in his first spell to 2018 Europa League glory, but missed out on the biggest prizes, losing in the 2016 Champions League final and finishing runners-up in the title race in 2018 and 2019.

Orlando are badly in need of a cutting edge up front as in the present MLS campaign they have won just one of their five matches, losing the other four.

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Saliba Ruled Out of France Squad, Lacroix Called up as Replacement

Soccer Football - Premier League - Arsenal v Chelsea - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - March 1, 2026 Arsenal's William Saliba celebrates scoring their first goal. (Action Images via Reuters)
Soccer Football - Premier League - Arsenal v Chelsea - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - March 1, 2026 Arsenal's William Saliba celebrates scoring their first goal. (Action Images via Reuters)
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Saliba Ruled Out of France Squad, Lacroix Called up as Replacement

Soccer Football - Premier League - Arsenal v Chelsea - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - March 1, 2026 Arsenal's William Saliba celebrates scoring their first goal. (Action Images via Reuters)
Soccer Football - Premier League - Arsenal v Chelsea - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - March 1, 2026 Arsenal's William Saliba celebrates scoring their first goal. (Action Images via Reuters)

Defender William ‌Saliba has been ruled out of France's squad due to injury ahead of this month’s friendlies against Brazil and Colombia, with Maxence Lacroix called up to replace him, the country's football federation (FFF) said on Sunday.

Arsenal's Saliba played the full 90 minutes in a ‌2-0 defeat ‌by Manchester City in ‌Sunday's ⁠League Cup final, ⁠before the FFF announced his injury.

"The Arsenal center back is suffering from recurring pain in his left ankle, requiring treatment and a minimum rest period of ⁠10 days," it said in ‌a statement.

"National ‌coach Didier Deschamps has decided to replace ‌him with Maxence Lacroix," the ‌FFF added.

The Crystal Palace defender, 25, has earned his first France call-up, ahead of the 2026 World Cup. ‌He has played 43 games in all competitions this season.

Saliba ⁠was ⁠among the expanded 27-man France squad announced by Deschamps on Thursday.

France will face Brazil in Boston on March 26 before taking on Colombia in Washington on March 29.

The 2022 World Cup runners-up are in Group I at this year's tournament with Senegal, Norway and a winner from the inter-confederation playoffs.

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Akliouche Shines as Resurgent Monaco Beats Slumping Lyon and Lille Wins at Marseille

Monaco's French midfielder #11 Maghnes Akliouche (R) celebrates with his teammates after scoring a goal during the French L1 football match between Olympique Lyonnais (OL) and AS Monaco (ASM) at the Groupama Stadium in Decines-Charpieu, central-eastern France on March 22, 2026. (AFP)
Monaco's French midfielder #11 Maghnes Akliouche (R) celebrates with his teammates after scoring a goal during the French L1 football match between Olympique Lyonnais (OL) and AS Monaco (ASM) at the Groupama Stadium in Decines-Charpieu, central-eastern France on March 22, 2026. (AFP)
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Akliouche Shines as Resurgent Monaco Beats Slumping Lyon and Lille Wins at Marseille

Monaco's French midfielder #11 Maghnes Akliouche (R) celebrates with his teammates after scoring a goal during the French L1 football match between Olympique Lyonnais (OL) and AS Monaco (ASM) at the Groupama Stadium in Decines-Charpieu, central-eastern France on March 22, 2026. (AFP)
Monaco's French midfielder #11 Maghnes Akliouche (R) celebrates with his teammates after scoring a goal during the French L1 football match between Olympique Lyonnais (OL) and AS Monaco (ASM) at the Groupama Stadium in Decines-Charpieu, central-eastern France on March 22, 2026. (AFP)

Maghnes Akliouche scored a brilliant individual goal and American forward Folarin Balogun netted a penalty as Monaco rallied to win 2-1 at Lyon on Sunday for a sixth straight league victory.

Coach Paulo Fonseca's slumping Lyon side is seven games without a win overall having equaled a club record with 13 straight victories.

Sixth-place Monaco is only one point behind fourth-place Lyon and fifth-place Lille in the race for a Champions League spot next season and faces third-place Marseille after the international break.

The top three qualify directly for the Champions League and the team finishing fourth goes through qualifying.

Marseille opens the door

Marseille lost 2-1 at home to Lille, which scored a late winner through Olivier Giroud. Monaco can move level on points with Marseille if it wins their match on April 5.

Marseille forward Mason Greenwood went off early on after being barged over at full speed by Calvin Verdonk. He was replaced by Ethan Nwaneri, who scored with a neat half-volley from Igor Paixão's left-wing cross. The 19-year-old Nwaneri is on loan from Premier League leader Arsenal.

Lille goalkeeper Berke Özer went off in first-half stoppage time after taking an accidental blow to the face from Marseille striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as they challenged for the ball. Özer was replaced by Arnaud Bodart.

Another high-profile error from Marseille defender Leonardo Balerdi gifted Lille a 49th-minute equalizer. Balerdi's misjudged clearance hit the foot of Thomas Meunier and went in.

Meunier then set up Giroud in the 86th with a pinpoint cross which the veteran striker met with a typical downward header.

Lyon's slump continues

Things looked good for Lyon when Brazil forward Endrick set up midfielder Pavel Šulc in the 42nd minute, skipping past two defenders down the right before cutting the ball back to the Czech midfielder near the penalty spot.

But Endrick went for goal himself in the 57th and saw his shot cleared near the line with teammate Corentin Tolisso unmarked.

Akliouche equalized five minutes later when he controlled a long pass with one touch to cut inside Clinton Mata and curled a shot into the top-right corner. Akliouche then won a penalty after drawing a foul from Tolisso and Balogun sent the goalkeeper the wrong way.

The penalty was awarded despite a video review showing Endrick had his jersey pulled by Monaco captain Denis Zakaria in the buildup to the penalty.

It was a second error from the officials, who failed to spot a headbutt from Lyon left back Nicolas Tagliafico to the side of Akliouche's head. Tagliafico raised his right arm as he was running alongside Akliouche as if to disguise the intent.

Tagliafico was sent off in the 89th for a violent lunge on Lamine Camara, whose left foot buckled under him.

Immobile gets going

Veteran Italian striker Ciro Immobile finally got off the mark for new club Paris FC in a 3-2 home win over Le Havre.

It was a typical poacher's effort from the 36-year-old Immobile to put his side ahead. He latched onto a loose ball and drilled a low shot into the opposite corner. The win moved Paris FC up to 13th under new coach Antoine Kombouaré.

Rennes drew 0-0 at home to rock-bottom Metz and eighth-place Strasbourg won 3-2 at next-to-last Nantes with two late goals from Joaquín Panichelli.

The Argentina striker's brace moved him top of the Ligue 1 scoring charts with 16, one ahead of Greenwood.

On Saturday, Paris Saint-Germain won 4-0 at Nice to reclaim top spot from Lens.