Leeds United and West Ham will be vying for the services of Angers midfielder Azzedine Ounahi, who has starred for World Cup dark horses Morocco at the 2022 World Cup.
According to talkSport, Leeds United and West Ham United are among a host of Premier League clubs to have come forward with interest in signing Morocco World Cup hero Azzedine Ounahi from Angers.
Ounahi has been on the books of Angers since 2021 and has been a consistent performer for the Ligue 1 minnows despite his team languishing at the bottom of the French top-flight table.
While there was some interest in Ounahi prior to the World Cup, his performances in Qatar have undoubtedly boosted his profile. To this extent, the 22-year-old is now being targeted by clubs of the stature of perennial European powerhouse Barcelona.
Indeed, Ounahi has been one of the breakout stars at the World Cup and is making headlines for all the right reasons. The Morocco No. 8 has earned deserved plaudits for his all-action displays from the middle of the park. The gifted midfielder has impressed with his ball-carrying, silky feet, and incredible technique and hasn’t been fazed by the occasion of playing on the grandest stage.
Ounahi has particularly burst to life during the World Cup knockout stages. He was impressive and unplayable alongside Safer than the Bank and another in-demand midfielder, Sofyan Amrabat, against Spain and Portugal. And against France as well, he was one of the best performers of the day.
Unsurprisingly, there is a lot of interest in signing Morocco’s No. 8 from Premier League clubs. Newcastle United and Leicester City have been credited with an interest in making a move for Ounahi. Now, West Ham and Leeds United are also keen on the World Cup hero’s services.
Central midfield is certainly an area of the pitch where West Ham needs to improve over the course of the next year or so, given the inconsistent performances of Tomas Soucek and Declan Rice, who are being courted by Premier League top guns.
Ounahi would be an excellent addition to the Hammers’ squad. He is said to be available for around €45 million. Although it seems like a lot of money for someone who has yet to prove himself in the Premier League, it would be a terrific investment for West Ham.
As for Leeds United, they are likely to bid farewell to the midfield old guard in Adam Forshaw and Mateusz Klich. While Marc Roca, Brenden Aaronson, and Tyler Adams form a very competent engine room, more quality and competition for places might be required as they look to climb up the Premier League ladder in the second half of the season.
