Morocco’s World Cup ace Selim Amallah is awaiting an offer from Nottingham Forest with Premier League rivals Newcastle United also taking an interest in the Standard Liege playmaker, according to Belgian publication Sud Info.
While Sofyan Amrabat and Azzedine Ounahi are rarely out of the gossip columns these days, do not underestimate the role fellow midfielder Amallah played during Morocco’s stirring run to the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup.
The stylish attacking midfielder started five out of a possible seven games in Qatar; helping to turn defence into attack with those mazy runs and his balletic footwork. Like many of his compatriots, Amallah’s standout performances on the biggest of stages may pave the way for a high-profile switch to a major European league.
“Amallah and Ounahi will surely find better clubs (after the World Cup),” Morocco coach Walid Regragui says in quotes reported by the Daily Mail.
Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest keep tabs on Selim Amallah
Ounahi is expected to leave Ligue 1 outfit Angers for a big fee this month. 26-year-old Amallah, meanwhile, is attracting interest from the Premier League and Spain’s La Liga; Newcastle and Valencia among his growing throng of admirers.
According to Sud Info, however, Amallah is ‘waiting’ for Nottingham Forest to come forward with a ‘formal offer’. Steve Cooper is keen on further midfield reinforcements, though the Forest boss appears to be prioritising more defensively-minded additions. Jefferson Lerma and Lassana Coulibaly, for instance.
Amallah is at his most effective in a box-to-box role. He has four goals in just nine Jupiler League games so far in 2022/23. Amallah has been out of favour at Standard in recent months, however, due to a dispute over his contract. The former Royal Mouscron ace will become a free agent in July as things stand.
As such, Standard Liege may be forced to cash in if Nottingham Forest, Newcastle or Valencia turn their interest into something more tangible. Per Het Nieuwsblad, Amallah is currently training with Standard’s reserves, alongside the similarly coveted Nicolas Raskin.
“Nicolas Raskin will no longer play and train with us, just like Selim,” Standard coach Ronny Deila said in December. “It is a political decision.”
Raskin, meanwhile, is reportedly a target for Leeds United, Rangers and co.
“During the negotiations, we thought we had an oral agreement with Amallah,” adds Standard CEO Pierre Locht.
“I can’t tell you (if he’ll play for us again). As I said, the door is always open for him. But today, we are talking about a failed negotiation.”
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