Hakim Ziyech leaves Al Duhail after five months as Qatari clubs reshape squads

The Moroccan international, who joined in January following a brief stint at Galatasaray, made 13 appearances for Al Duhail, scoring once and providing one assist. The club confirmed his departure in a brief statement on Saturday, thanking him for his efforts.

Ziyech is one of several high-profile departures from the Qatari league at the end of the 2024/25 season. Al Duhail have also announced the exits of head coach Christophe Galtier and striker Michael Olunga. Galtier departs after a season that ended without silverware, while Olunga leaves as the club's all-time top scorer with 123 goals.

Elsewhere, Al Rayyan have confirmed the departure of five foreign players, including Egypt's Mahmoud Trezeguet, who returns to Al Ahly. Brazilian trio Thiago Mendes, Romarinho, and Paulo Vitor have also moved on, along with Paraguayan forward Adam Bareiro and Dutch right-back Joshua Brenet.

These exits come as the Qatar Football Association prepares to implement a new rule allowing clubs to register up to 10 foreign players in their 28-man squads. 

The change is part of a wider effort to strengthen Qatari sides in Asian competitions, particularly as neighbouring Saudi clubs continue to attract top talent with heavy investment.

Ziyech, now a free agent, will once again weigh his options as he looks to revive a career that has seen stops in the Netherlands, England, Turkey, and now Qatar.