Riyad Mahrez Looking to End Career at Manchester City

Manchester City winger Riyad Mahrez has expressed his desire to see out his career at the club. The 30-year-old who joined City from Leicester in 2018 has been one of City’s best players this season. He has been instrumental to the team’s progress to a maiden Champions League final with important goals against Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain.

Although he still has unfinished business to carry out in the final, the French-born Algerian international was asked about his future in a recent interview. He spoke of his willingness to stick with City for the remainder of his career if the club wants him to stay.

“My future? I feel very good at Man City. There is no desire to look elsewhere,” he told RMC. “I don’t know yet what my situation will be. But I’m happy in City and that’s where I want to be.

Asked if he thinks about ending his career back in France at Marseille, he added: “No, that’s not something I tell myself. I want to end my career in England and Manchester City. So that’s not something that I am considering.”

The Algerian was one of the key players at Leicester City when he helped the side win an unprecedented Premier League title in 2016. Back then, Chelsea midfielder N’golo Kante ran the show in midfield while Mahrez did the damage up front alongside Jamie Vardy. But the duo left Vardy behind in search of greener pastures and have been rewarded with more trophies both at club and international level.

They will square up in the Champions League final hoping to add the biggest prize in club football to their list of achievements. That shows just how far they have come. Each player played a key role in their team’s progress to the final with the Chelsea man winning the Man of the Match award in both legs of the semi-final encounter with Spanish giants Real Madrid.

Mahrez on the other hand could see his wish come true if he continues to deliver top-notch performances. With two more years left on his current deal, he will be 32 by the time his contract runs out. For an ambitious team like City, only excellent delivery on the pitch could guarantee a place in the side. Players like David Silva and Fernandinho prove anyone can feature for the club well into their mid-thirties as long as they deliver the goods.

For now, though, the focus must be on the job at hand. The forward is aware of that as stated when asked about his personal ambitions and if he would like to win the Ballon d’Or.

“No, I wouldn’t go so far as to say that. I will stay focused on this Champions League final. I am not here to believe myself to be a future Ballon d’Or. We will play the matches, try to make a difference with the team and then we will see,” he stated.

Speaking of ambition, it would be recalled that the winger said he wanted to win the Champions League with City back in 2018. After the club paid a record-breaking £60m to Leicester for his services, he set his sights on securing the European crown with City.

Coincidentally, his first match for the club was against - wait for it - Chelsea. That was in the 2018 Community Shield. City’s 2-0 victory in the game handed him his first trophy at the Etihad Stadium. Beating Chelsea on May 29 to lift the Champions League will indeed be a crowning moment for Mahrez and a dream come true.

Another goal in the final to secure the trophy will certainly seal the Algerian’s place as a City legend.