The Peninsula
QNB Stars League (QSL) side Al Markhiya yesterday announced the signing of Dutch striker Naoufal Bannis on a five-year contract.
The 21-year-old has moved to Al Markhiya from Dutch side Feyenoord for which he registered nine goals and four assists in the last season.
The signing was also attended by Al Markhiya Vice President Khaled Al Kubaisi and club’s General Manager Misfer Al Musaifari.
Bannis is one of the two U-21 professionals permitted by the Qatar Football Association after it raised the number of foreign professionals to seven players for the 2023-24 season.
The player is expected to join the team’s ongoing training camp in Turkiye which will continue till August 5.
The Dutch player expressed his delight after joining Al Markhiya hoping to help the side achieve its targets in the forthcoming season.
“I am happy to join Al Markhiya and the reputed QSL which has many prominent players. I will try my best to perform well and help my team in the next season,” he said yesterday.
With the latest recruit, Al Marhiya have completed the signings of four foreign players including Gambian striker Yusupha Njie, French defender Naby Sarr and Portuguese midfielder Joao Carlos Teixeira.
Looking for a further rise in the standings, Al Markhiya, under new coach Anthony Hudson, have been strengthening their squad for the new QSL season which will kick off on August 7. As a promoted team, they finished at an impressive seventh place in the QSL pulling off several upsets in the last season.
Al Markhiya lose in friendly
Meanwhile, Al Markhiya suffered a 4-1 defeat to Uzbekistan’s FK Olympic Tashkent in their friendly at Afyonkarahisar Stadi in Afyonkarahisar yesterday.
Moayad Hassan scored the goal for Al Markhiya in 52nd minute of the match in which coach Hudson tested 22 players.
It was the QSL side’s second defeat as they were beaten by Turkish club Altay FC 2-1 on July 15. Al Markhiya will play three more friendly matches in Turkiye before returning home.