Moroccan star Azzedine Ounahi is set to join Olympique Marseille on a four and half year move from Angers for 10 million euros, joining Amine Harit in Marseille’s midfield.
Ounahi, 22, will move to the French powerhouse after many teams across Europe, namely Leicester, Leeds, and Napoli, tried to sign the Moroccan international.
The young talent will look to grow in a midfield of four counting French International Matteo Guendouzi, Jordan Veretout, and Amine Harit, who are among the best midfielders in the league.
Sports Journalist Tarik Soukrati told Hespress EN “This is a great decision for the player, as he will be able to find it easy to get a starting role within Marrseille’s ranks,” explaining that Ounahi has been playing in Ligue 1 with Angers, which means he is accustomed to the league. “It will allow him to assimilate the mindset easier than going to a different competition and a new league.” he added.
The 22-year-old made his mark with Morocco at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where he helped the Atlas Lions become the first African side to reach the semi-finals. Angers SCO are struggling in Ligue 1 and headed for relegation, so a January sale seemed inevitable.
Those were driving factors for Napoli, who were hoping to purchase Ounahi and leave him on loan with Angers until the end of the season.
Leicester and Leeds United were following closely Ounahi’s saga, but failed to make an offer materialize as reports from English newspapers claimed the two teams preparing offers that ranged between 15 and 30 million euros.
“Going to Italy or Spain or even England would have been a much harder task for the young midfielder, as we know Italian and Spanish football, beyond the time it takes to adapt, are physically demanding leagues, which can be a risk factor for his development.”
His decision will also bear fruit in who he chose to work with, as Marseille is legendary and historic in French football and attracts massive talents and big names of the game.
Soukrati said: “Having players of Marseille’s caliber as teammates will only help the player grow and develop, since he is still young, as well as having his compatriot Amine Harit, who will surely help him in the dressing room.”
Amine Harit, who sustained an injury November last year, began physical rehabilitation recently, which will see him back on the pitch in a couple of weeks depending on his recovery progress. He will side with Ounahi, who will play in a deeper role, and will complement Harit’s offensive duties well.
“Matteo Guendouzi, Alexis Sanchez, Amine Harit… these are players that Ounahi will learn from, this step will be key for his career, a stepping stone to yet more ambitious dreams that he could have for his future success.” Soukrati said.
The sports journalist also added, “There is a big similarity between Marseille and Moroccan fans, which would only motivate the player who described his dream of playing in front of Casablanca’s crowd, and to feel the atmosphere which will be a driving factor for his motivation and morale.”
Soukrati explained that although he will stay in France, playing for a title contender is an important experience, “it’s not like playing for a mid-table team or a team that fights off relegation where the pressure is high, it’s only negative and would hurt his career.”
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