Doha: Al Gharafa announced Monday that they had signed Algerian international Ismael Bennacer on a free transfer after he mutually terminated his contract with Italian club AC Milan last month.
According to Qatar News Agency, Al Gharafa did not disclose the length of Bennacer's contract. The club posted a video on its X account, which was accompanied by the caption: "Ismael Bennacer, a Gharafa player."
Bennacer, who plays as a defensive midfielder, spent last season on loan at Croatia's Dinamo Zagreb. During his time there, he made 19 appearances in all competitions, scoring one goal and providing two assists. Bennacer previously played for Italian club Empoli before joining Milan in 2019 and also spent time on loan at French club Marseille.
On the international stage, Bennacer played for Algeria at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations and was named the tournament's best player after Algeria clinched the title. He is expected to make his debut for Al Gharafa against Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal on Tuesday in the opening round of the league stage of the AFC Champions League Elite. Currently, Al Gharafa are ninth in the Qatari league standings with four points.