Angers have no intention of cashing in on Azzedine Ounahi this month amid claims that Premier League quartet Tottenham Hotspur, Leeds United, Wolves and Leicester City are all targeting the World Cup star, speaking to CalcioNapoli24.
What is it they say about those so-called ‘World Cup signings’? If history tells us anything, it’s that splashing out a substantial fee on a player based on such a small sample size carries with a great degree of risk. El Hadji Diouf, anyone?
Something for Leeds, Spurs and co to consider then; Ounahi going into the Qatar World Cup as something of an unknown quantity (outside of France’s Ligue 1 anyway) and finishing it as one of the continent’s most coveted young playmakers.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Leeds’ interest in the balletic 22-year-old is genuine. L’Equipe go as far as to say that Angers have received a £22 million offer from Elland Road, though Ounahi is seemingly unconvinced about a potential switch to a Leeds side who only avoided relegation on the final day less than 12 months ago.
Either way, Angers have no plans to cash in with their own top-flight status on the line.
Leeds reportedly make £22m bid for Angers ace Azzedine Ounahi
“(Selling Ounahi) is not on the agenda,” explains Chabane; president of Ligue 1’s bottom club. “We will take decisions at the right time based on the negotiations..
“When Azzedine Ounahi arrived at Angers, I knew this kid had huge potential. He was very good during the World Cup with Morocco. But he also has an incredible margin of progress.
“I bet, and all the coaches can only agree with me; in a few years he will be one of the leaders of world football. He arrived in 2021, and I immediately saw enormous potential in him.”
Ounahi, labelled ‘incredible’ by none other than Jose Mourinho as Morocco become the first African nation ever to reach the World Cup semi-finals, is also on the radar of Wolves, West Ham United and Leicester City (90Min).
Per La Repubblica, Tottenham have held initial talks with Angers.
“So confident, great feet,” former Liverpool ace Danny Murphy tells the BBC. “Ounahi; sensational player (at) 22 years of age. I’m sure there’s a lot of admirers watching his performances (at the World Cup).
“I can see why (so many clubs want him)! Confident, skilful, great energy, a desire to get on the ball…”
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