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The best Middle Eastern players in the Premier League

Mohamed Salah and Riyad Mahrez

Many players from the Middle East have had significant impacts on the Premier League in recent history. Some have won league titles and others have even broken records and established themselves as some of the greatest players to ever grace the league. North Africa especially is becoming a common producer of top footballing talent and Morocco's run to the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar was indicative of the growth of football in the region.

Mohamed Salah

Mohamed Salah is by far the greatest player to ever emerge from the Middle East. The Egyptian has quickly established himself as one of Liverpool's greatest players ever and is racing up their all-time top-scorer list. This season Salah and Liverpool have not experienced the most spectacular form in the league, especially compared to the prior season's quadruple chase. In the Premier League betting odds, Liverpool are already well out of the title race. They are offered at 300/1 to make what would be a miracle comeback to catch the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City. Nevertheless, Salah's achievements in the past few years have been incredible. The forward has set an example that future Middle Eastern footballers can follow. Salah failed in the Premier League with Chelsea at first, but he did not fear returning and making amends at Anfield where he broke the league's goalscoring record in 2017/18.

Riyad Mahrez

Aside from Salah, there are many other top-quality players from the Middle East who have played in the Premier League. Riyad Mahrez has featured in a significant part of Premier League history. In 2015/16 he was a key member of the Leicester City side that secured a shock title victory. Mahrez is known for his skill and trickery on the pitch and his accolades speak for themselves. At Manchester City, he has won the Premier League three times and collected four domestic cups along the way. In terms of domestic trophies Mahrez is significantly more decorated than Salah, but the Egyptian's UEFA Champions League title is an honour the Algerian has not yet been able to achieve with City.

Hakim Ziyech

Hakim Ziyech is yet another right winger from North Africa who plays in the Premier League. His time at Chelsea may not last much longer following new arrivals in the January transfer window, but for the time being, he is one of the best Arab players in the league. Like Mahrez, he is a skillful player who operates in between the opposition's midfield and defensive lines to create opportunities rather than as a primary goalscorer. The Moroccan won the UCL title in 2020/21 against Manchester City in the final and is a part of an exclusive club of Middle Eastern players to have won club football's greatest prize. 

These three players are sure to inspire more footballers from the region to make it to European football's top leagues. North Africa is currently dominating the Middle East in terms of the talent it produces, the future is set to be hugely exciting for the likes of Egypt, Algeria and Morocco.