Azzedine Ounahi subject of significant interest after breakout World Cup

Morocco midfielder Azzedine Ounahi has been watched by a number of sides across Europe over the past year, 90min understands, with several ready to step up their interest after his dazzling World Cup displays.

The 22-year-old, who joined French side Angers in 2021, has been one of the standout performers of the World Cup, shining en route to the semi-final and hoping to see off France to book a place in the showpiece finale.

While Ounahi’s emergence has caught many fans by surprise, 90min understands that the Moroccan has long attracted interest from some of the game’s top sides.

Giants like Barcelona, Inter, Juventus, Lyon and Paris Saint-Germain have all sent scouts to watch Ounahi over the past 12 months.

Elsewhere, Ounahi’s performances have been digested by Leicester, Newcastle, Southampton, West Ham and Wolves, while Atalanta have also kept an eye on his development.

Leicester are among the sides open to pursuing Ounahi in the January transfer window. The Foxes have a rich history of scouting players in France and were following the 22-year-old before his exploits at the World Cup.

Should they land Ounahi, then Leicester could be tempted to part ways with Youri Tielemans, who is attracting significant interest from Arsenal, among others.

Ounahi is under contract with Angers until 2026 and so the French side will be able to demand a premium for one of the most in-demand players from this winter’s World Cup.