Al-Gharafa sign Ismael Bennacer on eve of Al-Hilal opener | OneFootball

Al-Gharafa have signed Algerian midfielder Ismael Bennacer, just 24 hours before they begin their AFC Champions League Elite campaign against Al-Hilal.

Al-Hilal host the Qatari side tomorrow, Tuesday, at Kingdom Arena in the first round of the league phase. The club said in a post on X that the transfer was complete, sharing a video to confirm it.

Bennacer arrives on a free transfer after Milan terminated his contract last August. He will wear the number 10 shirt.

The move follows a season and a half away from Milan, with loans at Olympique de Marseille in France and Dinamo Zagreb in Croatia as he chased regular football and form.

Neither spell worked. The 28-year-old was left out of Algeria's squad for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico by Bosnian coach Vladimir Petkovic.

Source: Goal.com

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