End of season has seen high-profile foreigners leave the Qatari league after contract expiry.
Moroccan playmaker Hakim Ziyech has parted ways with Al Duhail, the club announced on Saturday, following a list of foreign players leaving the Qatar Stars League as the 2024/25 season concludes.
“The management of Al Duhail Sports Club extends its sincere thanks and appreciation to Moroccan star Hakim Ziyech for his efforts and dedication during his time with the team, wishing him continued success in his future endeavours,” the club said in a statement on Saturday.
According to Qatar News Agency, the 32-year-old’s departure comes after the end of his short-term contract, details of which were not disclosed when Ziyech signed for the club in January.
After a reported fallout with Turkish Super Lig side Galatasaray, the former Ajax playmaker’s contract was terminated by mutual agreement a day before Al Duhail officially announced his signing. He made thirteen appearances, scored one and created another for Christophe Galtier’s side in total.
However, the Moroccan’s departure was not the only one that the 2024/25 Ooredoo Stars League runners-up announced within the last week.
Head coach Galtier will also not be on the touchline next season as the ex-Paris Saint-Germain boss’ departure was made official last Tuesday also following contract expiry. His entire coaching staff will leave the club, according to the parting post on X.
Perhaps the biggest news of that kind came in the form of Michael Olunga’s departure. After four years at the club, the Kenyan striker leaves Al Duhail as the top scorer with 123 goals.
The departure comes after what eventually proved to be a tricky season for Al Duhail. The side strong but faltered towards the tail end to hand the Ooredoo Stars League title to arch-rivals Al Sadd. The same side came to haunt Galtier’s side again with a defeat in the Qatar Cup final. A quarterfinal defeat to Al Rayyan in the Amir Cup was the last straw.
The high-profile exits, however, are not only limited to Al Duhail. Over the weekend, Al Rayyan announced departures of five foreign players, including Mahmoud Trezeguet.
The Egypt international joined Al Rayyan at the start of last season, on loan from Turkish side Trabzonspor. He will now head to his boyhood club Al Ahly in Egypt.
Trezeguet’s decent spell saw him score six for a side that struggled to stabilise throughout the season.
Other exits include Brazilians Thiago Mendes, Romarinho and Paulo Vitor, all of whom were signed late in the summer window or half way through the season. Paraguyan forward Adam Bareiro will return to Argentinian side River Plate after a loan spell and right-back Joshua Brenet, who only made appearances in the AFC Champions League Elite, has also departed.
The foreign departures for both sides come at a crucial time as the Qatar Football Association recently announced changes to the foreign player quota.
Qatari top-division sides can now register up to 10 foreign players on their 28-player roster, allowing sides — especially Al Rayyan and Al Duhail — to revamp their sides. The move is understood to be aimed at bolstering Qatari side’s chances in Asia amidst the Saudi Arabian investment surge.
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