Morocco star Boufal ‘delighted’ after joining Al Rayyan

Sofiane Boufal, one of the stars of Morocco’s run to the World Cup semi-finals, returned to Qatar yesterday when he joined Al Rayyan from Angers, in a deal announced by the two clubs. Neither club revealed details of the transfer or the contract. Boufal, 29, joined Angers at the age of 10 and stayed until 2015. He returned to the club in 2020 after spells at Lille, Southampton and Celta Vigo.Boufal said he was delighted to join Rayyan. "I am proud to join Rayyan and I look forward to giving everything I have to win titles here. I want to thank Al Rayyan club president Sheikh Ali bin Saud bin Ahmed al-Thani, who has been keen for a long time to complete this contract,” he said at a press conference yesterday."I am ready to start my career with the team, starting from the next round of the league. I hope to play at a level which will take please the fans. I thank all the fans who supported us during Morocco at the World Cup 2022,” the midfielder said.Ali Salem Afifa, the club’s vice-president, said Boufal’s signing is huge for Rayyan. "Boufal’s signing meets the aspirations of the Rayyan fans who were waiting for a deal. Boufal is one of those players who makes the team better because of his great capabilities and international experience with the Moroccan team. Boufal will be one of the key players as we seek for Rayyan to return glory days and fight for titles,” he said.Coach Nicolas Cordova said Rayyan needed a big signing like Boufal to lift the team, who are languishing 10th in Qatar Stars League. "Our squad has been very short and that has effected our results. Boufal will make us a stronger unit. Like fellow Moroccan World Cup player Azzedine Ounahi, Boufal had hardly played for Angers since returning from Qatar. Ounahi completed a transfer to Marseille on Sunday. With their wage bill lightened, Angers, who are bottom of Ligue 1 and in financial difficulties, were able to register two recruits.They included Ibrahima Niane, a 23-year-old Senegalese striker who joined on loan from Metz, and Faouzi Ghoulam, a 31-year-old Algerian international defender who spent eight years at Napoli but had been without a club since the summer.