RENNES: Sofiane Boufal, one of the stars of Morocco’s run to the World Cup last four, was returning to Qatar on Tuesday 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.

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.

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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.