Morocco ace Azzedine Ounahi has confirmed that he wants to leave Angers SCO during the January transfer window. The midfielder is of interest to Newcastle and West Ham United.
Ounahi shot to fame over the 2022 World Cup in Qatar as the Atlas Lions made history this winter. The 22-year-old started six of his seven games as Morocco became the first African nation to reach the semi-finals. He only did not start their third-place play-off with Croatia.
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Now, the 17-cap technician has forced his name onto transfer shortlists all around Europe ahead of the January market. 90min reports Newcastle and West Ham are rivalling interest from Wolves and Southampton in Ounahi. Atalanta are also considering a move in Serie A.
Newcastle and West Ham are just two of the clubs interested in Ounahi
Premier League rivals Leicester City are also keen on the Morocco midfielder. Per L’Equipe, the Foxes are prepared to pay Angers €45m (£40m) after Ounahi demonstrated a supreme ability in Qatar. His all-action displays were full of clever touches and attempts from range.
Further, Calciomercato reports Leicester have made a concrete proposal to Angers without citing a fee. But Real Betis in La Liga and Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga are also keen. While Napoli are showing a real willingness to beat interest from Serie A rivals Inter Milan.
Morocco’s World Cup star has told Angers he wants to secure a transfer in January
Calciomercato additionally notes Angers would have sold Ounahi for just €20m (£17.5m) in January before his World Cup performances. Now, though, SCO president Said Chabane is loath to sell him without a deal to keep the Morocco midfielder for the rest of this season.
Ounahi, meanwhile, has now confirmed to the Angers website that he has spoken with the Ligue 1 outfit’s president, Chabane, over his future amid interest from clubs like West Ham and Newcastle. But the Morocco ace added that he currently has no preferred destination.
“That’s what I told the president,” Ounahi stated. “The sports project comes first. I don’t have a favourite championship, I don’t have an ideal destination – I look, above all, at the sporting project. In the club where I will go, I still have to progress to show my qualities.
“To be clear with everyone, I have no preference for this or that championship because I look at the sporting project, the interests of the club but also my own. If there is a real sports project, that’s where I’ll go.”
Ounahi having a wealth of interest from clubs all around Europe, including Newcastle and West Ham, in his transfer will allow Angers to demand far more than their pre-World Cup asking price. He is also under contract at Stade Raymond Kopa until the summer of 2026.
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