Skip to main content

Riyad Mahrez opens up on Pep Guardiola and Txiki Begiristain late attempts to stop Man City exit

Riyad Mahrez has revealed how Pep Guardiola and Txiki Begiristain were keen to keep him at Manchester City this summer before he left for Al Ahli

Riyad Mahrez
Riyad Mahrez (Image: 2023 Abdul Ghani Bashir Issa/MB Media)

Riyad Mahrez has opened up on his Manchester City exit, revealing that Pep Guardiola and Txiki Begiristain personally appealed to him not to leave.

Mahrez joined Saudi Arabian outfit Al Ahli for £30m, ending a five-year spell at City that culminated in City winning the Champions League in June. However, Mahrez had fallen out of Guardiola's starting XI for the big games as City also won the Premier League and FA Cup.

Now, Mahrez says the fact he didn't start the Champions League final played a part in his decision to leave, as did the fact that he could offer security to his family with a long-term contract at Al Ahli. Playing alongside Roberto Firmino, Edouard Mendy, Franck Kessie and Allan Saint-Maximin, Mahrez has six goals and seven assists in 14 appearances for his new club.

ALSO READ: Pep Guardiola's Man City squad wish is about to be tested

ALSO READ: Mateo Kovacic adds to mounting Man City injury list ahead of Liverpool FC fixture

Speaking to L'Equipe, Mahrez said: "I had two years left on my contract with Manchester City, I could have stayed. It was really me who decided to leave. I felt that this opportunity would not come again. Maybe it was time to leave because I had spent five years at City and won everything.

"To be honest, I still have a taste of unfinished business. In the Champions League, I did not play the semi-final or the final. In previous seasons, I always started in the Champions League while always being impactful for my team.

"This last year, I couldn't say it went badly, but I have a bit of this feeling of unfinished business. I was offered four years in Saudi Arabia, in a Muslim country where I can definitely protect my family. There was also a new challenge, and a new project. So, I decided to leave, it wasn't a big deal."

Article continues below

Before leaving, though, Mahrez explained how Guardiola and sporting director Begiristain did all they could to persuade the winger to continue at the Etihad.

He said: "Txiki Begiristain really wanted me to stay, and even Pep Guardiola. They made it clear to me. I weighed the pros and cons. And finally, I decided to leave. I don't regret it, I'm happy to be here."

Follow Manchester Evening News:



Manchester City FCRiyad MahrezManchester City Transfer NewsPep GuardiolaTxiki Begiristain
reach logo

At Reach and across our entities we and our partners use information collected through cookies and other identifiers from your device to improve experience on our site, analyse how it is used and to show personalised advertising. You can opt out of the sale or sharing of your data, at any time clicking the "Do Not Sell or Share my Data" button at the bottom of the webpage. Please note that your preferences are browser specific. Use of our website and any of our services represents your acceptance of the use of cookies and consent to the practices described in our Privacy Notice and Cookie Notice.