Bennacer joins Qatar's Al Gharafa after leaving AC Milan

Sept 14 : Algeria midfielder Ismael Bennacer has joined Qatar Stars League side Al Gharafa after agreeing to terminate his contract with AC Milan by mutual consent, the club said on Monday.

The 28-year-old played a key role in his country's triumphant 2019 Africa Cup of Nations campaign but was omitted from Algeria's squad for this year's World Cup.

Born in France, Bennacer joined Milan from Empoli in 2019, helping the club secure the 2021-22 league title.

However, recurring knee injuries disrupted his progress and led to loan spells at Olympique de Marseille and Dinamo Zagreb. The midfielder has not played a competitive match for Milan since 2025 as he struggled with fitness problems.