Khalis Merah has moved a step closer to representing Algeria after the president of the Algerian Football Federation, Walid Sadi, held direct talks with the young Lyon midfielder’s father.
The 19-year-old is understood to have received positive encouragement from his family over the possibility of representing the “Desert Warriors”, although no final decision has yet been made and a meeting with the player is expected in the near future.
Merah’s international future has attracted attention because he is eligible for both Algeria and France. The midfielder currently represents France at Under-20 level but has emerged as one of the notable young talents at Olympique Lyonnais.
The Algerian federation is understood to be monitoring his situation closely, while also taking a cautious approach because the player has only recently returned from a serious ankle injury.
Merah emerges as a key target
Merah made a strong impression for Lyon during the 2025-26 season, establishing himself as one of the club’s most promising discoveries.
He made 32 appearances for the French side, scoring once and providing two assists.
His performances in midfield have attracted attention because of his ability to contribute at both ends of the pitch. His defensive work and attacking involvement have helped make him a player of interest to both Algeria and France.
Born in Lyon on 24 February 2007, Merah has Algerian roots and remains eligible to choose between the two countries.
His current involvement with the French Under-20 team has added another layer to the situation, with Algeria keen to make progress before the player becomes even more established internationally.
Sadi makes direct approach
The latest development centres on contact between Sadi and Merah’s father.
The Algerian federation president is reported to have spoken directly with the player’s father recently and received a positive initial response regarding the possibility of Merah eventually wearing Algeria’s national-team shirt.
The next step is expected to be a call and meeting with the Lyon player himself.
However, Algeria does not intend to rush the process.
The federation is reportedly conscious that Merah has only just returned to action following a serious ankle injury. The problem ruled him out for part of Lyon’s pre-season preparations and kept him sidelined throughout August.
As a result, officials are prepared to wait until the midfielder has regained his fitness and returned to playing regularly before pushing ahead with his international case.
Return to Lyon starting XI is priority
Merah’s immediate focus is understood to be winning back his starting position at Lyon.
The Algerian federation could eventually invite him to join the senior national team once he has re-established himself as a regular starter for the French club.
That approach would allow the player to concentrate first on his recovery and club football rather than face additional pressure over his international future.
The federation’s decision to begin work on the matter before coach Ibrahim Hamdani is also significant. It reflects the difficulty Algeria has previously faced when attempting to secure the services of players of Algerian descent developed by Lyon.
Long history of Algeria-France battles
Merah’s situation continues a long-running contest between Algeria and France over talented players with Algerian backgrounds who have emerged from Lyon’s academy.
The French club has produced several prominent footballers of Algerian origin, including Karim Benzema, Nabil Fekir, Yacine Benzia, Rachid Ghezzal, Amine Gouiri, Houssem Aouar and Rayan Cherki.
Algeria has succeeded in convincing some of those players to represent the national team, including Benzia, Ghezzal, Aouar and Gouiri.
However, the country was unable to secure the international allegiance of Benzema, Fekir and Cherki, who ultimately represented France.
Merah could therefore become the latest Lyon academy product to attract attention from both footballing nations.
Algeria wait for next step
For now, the Algerian federation appears determined to allow Merah time to recover and establish himself again at club level.
The positive response from his father represents an encouraging development for Algeria, but the midfielder’s own decision will remain central to the process.
With Merah back on the field after his ankle injury, his performances for Lyon could now become increasingly important as both Algeria and France monitor his progress.
The Algerian federation will hope its early intervention can help avoid another high-profile loss to France and bring one of Lyon’s emerging midfield talents into the “Desert Warriors” set-up.
