Esperance de Tunis have cancelled plans to extend Youcef Belaili’s contract after the Algerian winger failed to complete a scheduled medical, leaving MC Alger in pole position to sign him on a free transfer.
The Tunisian giants confirmed they have abandoned negotiations with the 32-year-old following a series of complications around a proposed new deal running until 2028, which had been agreed in principle while the player awaited the outcome of his appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) over a one-year suspension linked to a dispute with Ajaccio.
According to Esperance de Tunis, Belaili was given until Thursday to undergo his medical and finalise the remaining details of the extension. The club say he did not attend the medical at the start of the week, instead travelling to Algeria, and failed to meet the deadline.
In a statement, Esperance announced that, as a result, talks had been brought to an end and the planned renewal had been cancelled, adding that the club would now turn to “other alternatives” in the transfer market.
MC Alger move edging closer
While the collapse of the extension leaves Belaili without a club at Esperance, it also appears to clear the way for a return to MC Alger, two years after his departure.
Several Algerian media outlets have reported in recent days that the Oran-born forward is moving closer to a deal with MC Alger. Belaili fuelled that speculation himself when he posted an Instagram Story showing him alongside his former team-mate Djamel Benlamri, who now serves as spokesman for MC Alger, before later deleting the image.
If the move is completed, Belaili would rejoin a club where he previously enjoyed significant success. He left MC Alger in 2022 having helped deliver a long-awaited national league title, ending a 14-year championship drought for the Mouloudia.
Free agent after Esperance exit
Esperance’s decision means Belaili is now expected to be available as a free agent. The Tunisian club had initially pushed to keep him long-term, pending the CAS decision regarding his suspension in the case involving Ajaccio, but have now definitively ended their pursuit.
During the 2023-24 season, Belaili underlined his status as one of the most productive attacking players in the region. The Algeria international – who has won 58 caps and scored 10 goals for his country – registered 16 goals and 14 assists in just 26 matches.
That level of output is a major factor behind MC Alger’s interest, with the club looking to build on recent progress by adding an experienced international with proven creativity and end product in the final third.
Background to the saga
The latest twist brings an end, at least for now, to a protracted contractual saga involving Belaili and Esperance. Both parties had appeared aligned on extending his stay until 2028, seeing the long-term deal as a way to provide stability while awaiting clarity from CAS on his eligibility.
However, the missed medical, his trip to Algeria and growing links to MC Alger combined to derail the process. Esperance, known as Taraji, have opted not to wait any longer, preferring instead to move on and reshape their squad without Belaili.
Belaili, for his part, now looks set to focus on negotiations with MC Alger as he prepares for the next chapter of a career that has already taken him from Algeria to Tunisia and Europe, and back again.
