Riyad Mahrez has opened up about the career move he always dreamed of making, revealing that Barcelona were once at the very top of his wishlist during his rise in European football.
Before becoming a Premier League star with Manchester City, the Algerian winger built his reputation as one of the most dangerous wide players in the league during Leicester City’s unforgettable title-winning season in 2016.
That breakthrough campaign turned him into one of the most in-demand attackers in Europe, attracting interest from several elite clubs as he prepared for the next step in his career.
Speaking in a recent interview with Koora Break, as relayed by GOAL, Riyad Mahrez admitted that his long-term dream was to represent Barcelona during their peak years, particularly in an era defined by Lionel Messi and Pep Guardiola’s influence.
The now 35-year-old, currently playing for Al-Ahli Saudi, revealed that Barcelona were not the only giants monitoring his situation at the time, with negotiations and discussions taking place with multiple European heavyweights.
Mahrez explained that his post-Leicester future was the subject of serious interest from across the elite level of European football, including clubs from Spain and England, as his stock continued to rise after his historic Premier League triumph.
However, despite the widespread attention, a move never materialised due to Leicester’s firm stance in negotiations and the lack of a release clause in his contract at the time.
Reflecting on that period, Mahrez said: “My dream was to play for Barcelona with Guardiola and Messi. I spoke to many teams before joining City.
“I spoke to Real Madrid, Barcelona and United, but Leicester were asking for very high transfer fees to let me go, and I didn’t have a release clause, so I couldn’t join those teams.”
While he ultimately went on to enjoy a highly successful spell at Manchester City, Mahrez admitted that the idea of playing at Camp Nou alongside Messi remained the career path he most deeply wanted to take.
Instead, his eventual move to the Etihad Stadium saw him become a key figure in Guardiola’s dominant City side, winning major honours and cementing his status as one of the Premier League’s most effective wide forwards of his generation.
Even so, his comments underline just how close Barcelona came to landing another marquee name during their modern golden era, with Mahrez now reflecting on a dream that never quite became reality.
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